Increasing prevalence of childhood asthma and allergies in Eastern Europe but not in Sweden

Abstract

Background: Phase I of the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) showed great differences in the prevalence of allergic symptoms among children and adolescents in Scandinavia and the former socialist countries in Eastern Europe. We compared data from ISAAC phase I and III in centres in Northern and Eastern Europe to assess possible changes in the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in these regions. Methods: Data from ISAAC phase I and III were compared regarding prevalence rates for symptoms of recurrent wheezing, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema. Changes in the prevalence of allergic symptoms were calculated. Logistic regression was used to estimate prevalence odds ratios (pOR) between phase I and phase III and to calculate 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Prevalence odds ratios were calculated as prevalence odds ratios per year as different time periods were examined in the participating centres (between 5 and 7 years). The study included children 6–7 years of age (n546,563) and 13–14 years of age (n563,853) in eleven study centres in nine countries. Results: Among [...].