EUROPEAN STUDY OF ASTHMA - PREVALENCE OF ATOPY IN YOUNG-ADULTS OF 5 AREAS IN SPAIN

Citation
X. Cortes et al., EUROPEAN STUDY OF ASTHMA - PREVALENCE OF ATOPY IN YOUNG-ADULTS OF 5 AREAS IN SPAIN, Medicina Clinica, 111(15), 1998, pp. 573-577
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal
Journal title
ISSN journal
00257753
Volume
111
Issue
15
Year of publication
1998
Pages
573 - 577
Database
ISI
SICI code
0025-7753(1998)111:15<573:ESOA-P>2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of the current study is to show the prevalence of atopy in five Spanish areas, and its variability according to area, ag e and gender. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From a populational based sample o f 16,884 individuals aged 20 to 44 years-old, we obtained a randomized 20% subsample (n = 3,310). Participants performed specific IgE measur ements, skin prick tests, forced spirometries and metacholine challeng es to measure bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The response rate was 40% , and 1,313 individuals were finally included in the study. Specific a topy to the following aeroallargens was determined: cat dander, Clados porium, Dermatophagoides, Phleum, Parietaria, birch, Alternaria, ambro sia, olive, rye grass and dog dander. RESULTS: The global prevalence o f atopy (detectable specific antibodies IgE in serum and/or skin react ivity) widely varied by area, skin reactivity ranking in males from a minimum in Albacete (24.6%; 95% CI: 18-33) to a maximum in Huelva (39. 6%; 95% CI: 30-53), and in females ranking from a minimun in Galdakao (10.3%; 95% CI: 6-17) to a maximum in Barcelona (28.8%; 95% CI: 19-43) . Considering separately seropositivity and skin reactivity we observe d a similar trend. Males showed a higher prevalence of global atopy (4 0.1%) than females (29.4%). Our data indicate that there is a decrease in the prevalence of atopy according to age in the general population , but only significant in men. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is the m ost common allergen in all ares but Albacete, where the most common al lergen is the olive pollen. CONCLUSIONS: By means of a standard method ology, we report population data of the prevalence of atopy in five Sp anish areas. The distribution of the prevalence of atopy varies widely in the five areas surveyed, according to the composition of the most common environmental allergens.