Prevalence of atopic asthma in adults has increased

Substantial evidence exists that the prevalence of asthma has increased in children in recent decades, but little information exists about asthma at older ages. On p 88 Upton et al report from Scotland that the prevalence of asthma in adults has increased more than twofold in 20 years, largely in association with trends in atopy. They compared the prevalence of asthma, hay fever, and respiratory symptoms in adults who participated in the original Renfrew and Paisley study in 1972-6 with the prevalence in their offspring surveyed at similar ages 20 years later. No evidence was found that increased diagnostic awareness was responsible for the increased prevalence of atopic asthma, though it may account for trends in non-atopic asthma.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Intergenerational 20 year trends in the prevalence of asthma and hay fever in adults: the Midspan family study surveys of parents and offspring

Mark N Upton, Alex McConnachie, Charles McSharry, Carole L Hart, George Davey Smith, Charles R Gillis, and Graham C M Watt
BMJ 2000 321: 88-92. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]