Purpose To describe the use of anti-asthma drugs in children in the general
population and in children with asthma using data from two large surveys i
n Germany.
Methods Community-based random sample of 5-7 and 9-11-year-old children in
Dresden and Munich were studied in 1995/96 by parental questionnaires using
the Phase II protocol of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies i
n Childhood (ISAAC). A total of 11094 children participated in the surveys
(response rate 83%).
Results In all children, inhaled beta (2)-agonists were used most frequentl
y during the last 12 months (2.6%), followed by inhaled cromolyns (2.5%), o
ral beta (2)-agonists (1.5%), and inhaled steroids (0.9%). Drug use was sig
nificantly higher among boys than girls and in older children compared to y
ounger ones (P<0.05 for both). Among children with current asthma, 47% had
used inhaled <beta>(2)-agonists, 43% inhaled cromolyns, 22% oral beta (2)-a
gonists,,and 16% inhaled steroids. Inhaled steroids were used significantly
more often in Dresden (21.7%) than in Munich (11.2%) (P<0.05).
Conclusions Among anti-asthma drugs, agents used for symptomatic relief wer
e the most frequently reported followed by inhaled anti-inflammatory agents
. Most of the anti-inflammatory drugs used were SCG, which may indicate und
er-treatment with inhaled steroids. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, L
td.