Health in early adulthood: the contribution of the 1978/79 Ribeirão Preto birth cohort (original) (raw)

Prevalence of Asthma among Adult Females and Males in the United States: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2001–2004

Journal of Asthma, 2009

Background. The prevalence of asthma has increased over the last three decades with females exhibiting a higher prevalence of asthma than males. The objective of this study was to obtain gender-specific estimates of the prevalence of current and ever asthma and describe the relationships between risk factors and asthma by gender in US men and women ages 20 to 85. Methods. Data for this study came from two cycles (2001-2002 and 2003-2004) of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and included 9,243 eligible adults: 4,589 females and 4,654 males. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate gender-specific associations between race/ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), sociodemographic characteristics, and smoking habits for current asthma and ever asthma. Results. The prevalence of current asthma was 8.8% for women and 5.8% for men, while the prevalence of ever having been diagnosed with asthma was higher (13.7% and 10.4% for women and men, respectively). Current asthma was less prevalent in Mexican American women (1.9%) and men (0.9%) born in Mexico as compared to Mexican Americans born in the U.S. (8.7% and 5.2% for women and men, respectively) or for any other ethnic group. Approximately 20% of extremely obese women and men had ever been diagnosed with asthma; among this group, 15% reported they had current asthma. Results from multiple logistic regression models indicate that extreme obesity and living in poverty were strongly associated with current and ever asthma for both women and men, as was former smoking and ever asthma for men. Conclusion. As compared to previous NHANES reports, our results indicate that the prevalence of asthma among U.S. adults continues to increase. Further, our findings of marked differences among subgroups of the population suggest asthma-related disparities for impoverished persons and greater prevalence of asthma among obese and extremely obese US adults.

Gender differences in the association between life history of body silhouettes and asthma incidence: Results from the SAPALDIA cohort study

Respiratory Medicine: X

Background: The association of obesity and asthma has been described in children and adults. However, whether a different life course of weight in men and women may explain gender differences in asthma incidence, has not been addressed. Objectives: Using data from the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults, we investigated the role of overweight/obesity as measured by body silhouettes at different life stages in men and women for asthma incidence. Methods: Our analysis included 5417 subjects who were asthma free at age 8, followed up to 2011, and had complete covariate information. The main predictor of interest was self-reported body silhouettes at age 8, menarche, 30, 45, menopause, and 60, and additionally changes in body silhouette number across these different time points. Asthma incidence was defined as newly reported doctor-diagnosed asthma after the body silhouette time point. Asthma incidence and its association with body silhouettes was analysed using sex stratified logistic regression, adjusting for age, atopy, urbanity, smoking, parental asthma, education and study area. Results: Men at age 60 had an increased risk of asthma incidence per unit increase in body silhouette number (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.13-3.30). This association was stronger in women at age 60 (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.49-5.18) and observed also at menopause (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.03-1.78), as well as per unit change in body silhouette number between age 45-menopause (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.15-2.63). Conclusion: In this longitudinal study, the risk of incident asthma increased in men and women with a larger body silhouette in late adulthood. In women, this risk appeared present between age 45 and menopause. At age 60, both men and women were at higher risk of asthma incidence per unit increase in body silhouette, the risk being more pronounced in women. The age-related increase of obesity may underlie gender differences in asthma incidence at higher ages.

Changes in the prevalence of asthma and related risk factors in adolescents: Three surveys between 1994 and 2015

Allergologia et Immunopathologia, 2018

This study assesses the temporal trend of current asthma symptoms prevalence and associated factors in Chilean adolescents from South-Santiago, considering surveys performed in 1994, 2002 and 2015. Results: The prevalence of current asthma symptoms showed a trend to increase from 11.1% in 1994 to 13.4% in 2015 (p < 0.001); physician-diagnosed asthma increased from 11.5% to 13.8%, (p < 0.001) whereas severe asthma and asthma with exercise decreased (p < 0.001). Female adolescents had a higher prevalence of current asthma in the three surveys (p < 0.001), and was a risk factor for asthma in the three surveys. In 2002, frequent consumption of meat and potatoes were associated with current asthma while frequent vigorous exercise was protective. Frequent exercise and parental tobacco smoking were risk for asthma in 2015 (p < 0.001). Current active tobacco smoking showed a trend to increase reaching a prevalence of 28.9% in 2015 (p < 0.001). There was a consistently low proportion of adolescents with current wheezing and asthma diagnosis (32.1% in 2015) and 37.6% of them had no asthma treatment. Conclusion: The prevalence of current asthma in adolescents from the studied area would be still increasing. As in other studies, female adolescents had a higher prevalence of current asthma. Current active tobacco smoking has strikingly increased in the studied children while indoor passive tobacco exposure remains inadmissibly high. Our findings suggest that asthma in children is underdiagnosed and undertreated. More attention should be given to female gender, tobacco exposure, air pollution and local diagnostic preferences when studying and interpreting trends of asthma prevalence in adolescents from developing localities.

Neither sex nor overweight are risk factors for having asthma symptoms in adolescent population of Argentina

World Allergy Organization Journal, 2007

Background: Chronic prophylactic therapies for hereditary angioedema (HAE) have existed for some time but in the United States acute therapies are lacking. Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) has been used to treat acute attacks but its use is controversial because reports of FFP worsening HAE symptoms exist. Methods: Twenty-three patients with HAE answered survey questions regarding past experiences with FFP. The purpose of the survey was to determine whether FFP administration during acute HAE attacks ever lead to a worsening of symptoms. Additionally, patients were asked whether FFP was perceived to be beneficial. Demographic data and data on the types of attacks treated was also collected. Results: Six of 23 patients received FFP for acute attacks and an additional three patients received FFP for surgical or dental prophylaxis. Greater than 71 acute attacks were treated with FFP. One individual accounted for approximately 50 treatments. Attack locations included abdominal, peripheral, facial, genital, and laryngeal. There were no episodes of acute worsening after administration of FFP or spread to the larynx. There was perceived benefit from FFP in all but five instances. Conclusion: Until more specific therapies for the acute treatment of HAE are widely available, FFP should be considered as a treatment option particularly in non-laryngeal attacks.

Incidence of asthma and mortality in a cohort of young adults: a 7-year prospective study

Respiratory research, 2005

Few longitudinal data exist on the incidence of asthma in young adults and on the overall mortality risk due to asthma. A 7-year follow-up prospective study was performed to assess the incidence of asthma and mortality from all causes in a cohort of young adults. The life status of a cohort of 6031 subjects, aged 20-44 years, who replied to a respiratory screening questionnaire between 1991 and 1992, was ascertained in 1999. A new questionnaire investigating the history of asthma was subsequently sent to the 5236 subjects who were still alive and residents in the areas of the study. 3880 subjects (74%) replied to the second questionnaire. The incidence of adult-onset asthma was 15.3/10,000/year (95%CI: 11.2-20.8). The presence of asthma-like symptoms (IRR: 4.17; 95%CI: 2.20-7.87) and allergic rhinitis (IRR: 3.30; 95%CI: 1.71-6.36) at baseline were independent predictors of the onset of asthma, which was more frequent in women (IRR: 2.32; 95%CI: 1.16-4.67) and increased in the younge...

Secular trend in the occurrence of asthma among children and young adults: critical appraisal of repeated cross sectional surveys

BMJ, 1997

To determine the extent to which plasma antioxidant concentrations in people with habitual low intake of fruit and vegetables respond to increased intakes of these foods. To examine whether advice to increase fruit and vegetables will result in reduction of concentrations of total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Design: Randomised controlled trial in which intervention and control groups were followed up for eight weeks. The intervention group was asked to consume eight servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Setting: Dunedin, New Zealand. Subjects: Eighty seven subjects with normal lipid concentrations who ate three or fewer servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Main outcome measures: Plasma concentrations of vitamin C, retinol, and carotene, tocopherol, lipids, and lipoproteins. Dietary intake assessed with diet records over four days. Results: The mean plasma vitamin C, carotene, and carotene concentrations increased in parallel with increased dietary intake of fruit and vegetables in the intervention group. Concentrations of retinol, tocopherol, lipids, and lipoproteins remained unchanged despite some increase in dietary vitamin E and a small reduction in saturated fat intake. Conclusions: Following a recommendation to increase fruit and vegetable consumption produces change in plasma concentrations of vitamin C, carotene, and carotene likely to reduce incidence of cancer. More specific dietary advice to modify fat intake may be necessary to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease mediated by lipoprotein and vitamin E.

Negative impact of asthma on patients in different age groups

Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, 2015

Objective: To evaluate the impact of asthma on patients in Brazil, by age group (12-17 years, 18-40 years, and ≥ 41 years). Methods: From a survey conducted in Latin America in 2011, we obtained data on 400 patients diagnosed with asthma and residing in one of four Brazilian state capitals (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, and Salvador). The data had been collected using a standardized questionnaire in face-to-face interviews. For the patients who were minors, the parents/guardians had completed the questionnaire. The questions addressed asthma control, number of hospitalizations, number of emergency room visits, and school/work absenteeism, as well as the impact of asthma on the quality of life, sleep, and leisure. We stratified the data by the selected age groups. Results: The proportions of patients who responded in the affirmative to the following questions were significantly higher in the 12- to 17-year age group than in the other two groups: "Have you had at least one...

ERICA: smoking is associated with more severe asthma in Brazilian adolescents

Jornal de pediatria, 2018

To investigate the association between smoking and asthma, and possible associated factors in Brazilian adolescents. A cross-sectional, national, school-based study with adolescents aged 12-17 years, participants in the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (Estudo de Riscos Cardiovasculares em Adolescentes - ERICA). A total of 66,394 participants answered a self-administered questionnaire with questions about asthma, smoking, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables. Bivariate analysis between Current Asthma (CA) and Severe Asthma (SA) and the other study variables were performed using Chi-squared. Then, the crude and adjusted Prevalence Ratios (PR), and respective 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) of current asthma/severe asthma and smoking variables, corrected for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, were estimated using generalized linear models with Poisson regression, logit link, and robust variance. The prevalence of current asthma and severe asthma were significa...

Lung function in young adulthood: differences between males and females with asthma

ERJ Open Research

BackgroundThere are phenotypic differences in asthma in males and females. Differences in lung function between the sexes at the peak lung function level in young adulthood are so far not directly addressed. The aim of the present study was to assess lung function in early adulthood in males and females depending on asthma onset and remission.MethodsParticipants were included from the population-based birth cohort BAMSE and classified as having: never asthma, childhood asthma in remission, adolescent onset asthma or persistent asthma. Pre- and post-bronchodilator lung function (in Z-score) and lung clearance index (LCI) were measured at age 24 years. Lung function was compared stratified for sex between the never asthma and asthma groups univariately and in multiple linear regression analyses adjusted for maternal and paternal asthma, maternal smoking during pregnancy, secondary smoking, daily smoking, early respiratory syncytial virus infection, traffic pollution, childhood allergi...

Asthma control, lung function, nutritional status, and health-related quality of life: differences between adult males and females with asthma

Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, 2018

Objective: To evaluate health-related quality of life in asthma patients treated at a referral center in southern Brazil, identifying differences between male and female patients, as well as to evaluate differences between the males and females in terms of asthma control, lung function, and nutritional status. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving patients ≥ 18 years of age treated at an asthma outpatient clinic. We evaluated clinical parameters, lung function, nutritional status, and quality of life. Results: A total of 198 patients completed the study. The mean age was 56.2 ± 14.8 years, and 81.8% were female. The proportion of patients with uncontrolled asthma was higher among females than among males (63.0% vs. 44.4%; p = 0.041). The body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat were higher in females than in males (30.2 ± 5.8 kg/m2 vs. 26.9 ± 4.5 kg/m2 and 37.4 ± 6.4% vs. 26.5 ± 7.4%; p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively). Quality of life was lower in femal...