PMID- 7589401
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19951207
LR  - 20190821
IS  - 0903-1936 (Print)
IS  - 0903-1936 (Linking)
VI  - 8
IP  - 7
DP  - 1995 Jul
TI  - Prevalence and characteristics of children with chronic respiratory symptoms in 
      eastern Finland.
PG  - 1155-60
AB  - The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of asthma and 
      asthma-related symptoms in Finland. We also wondered whether chronic cough may be 
      an indicator of occult asthma. Prevalence and characteristics of children with 
      doctor-diagnosed asthma and chronic respiratory symptoms were investigated in 
      7-12 year old school children from eastern Finland by using a questionnaire on 
      respiratory symptoms. In addition, skin-prick tests, flow-volume spirometry, and 
      serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) measurements were performed in children 
      reporting chronic respiratory symptoms. The parent-reported prevalence of 
      doctor-diagnosed asthma was 4.4%, of wheezing 5.4%, of attacks of shortness of 
      breath with wheezing 4.6%, and of dry cough at night 12%. Children with dry cough 
      only (n = 195) had less frequent parental asthma, self-reported allergies, daily 
      respiratory medication, and moisture stains or molds at home than asthmatic 
      children (n = 180), but these findings were more frequent than among asymptomatic 
      children (n = 2,169). The prevalence of at least one positive skin-prick test 
      result was 79% among the asthmatic children and 55% among children with dry cough 
      only. There were no differences between the two symptom groups in serum total IgE 
      levels and spirometric lung functions, except in maximal mid-expiratory flow 
      (MMEF) values, which were significantly lower among children with asthmatic 
      symptoms. The present results support the hypothesis that chronic cough may be an 
      indicator of occult asthma. Therefore, to improve the sensitivity of respiratory 
      questionnaires designed to detect asthma, they should also include questions on 
      chronic cough.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
FAU - Timonen, K L
AU  - Timonen KL
AD  - Dept of Environmental Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, Kuopio, 
      Finland.
FAU - Pekkanen, J
AU  - Pekkanen J
FAU - Korppi, M
AU  - Korppi M
FAU - Vahteristo, M
AU  - Vahteristo M
FAU - Salonen, R O
AU  - Salonen RO
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Multicenter Study
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - England
TA  - Eur Respir J
JT  - The European respiratory journal
JID - 8803460
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
SB  - IM
MH  - Asthma/complications/diagnosis/*epidemiology
MH  - Child
MH  - Cough/*epidemiology/etiology
MH  - Female
MH  - Finland/epidemiology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/blood
MH  - Male
MH  - Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate
MH  - Prevalence
MH  - Respiratory Sounds
MH  - Sensitivity and Specificity
MH  - Skin Tests
MH  - Spirometry
MH  - Surveys and Questionnaires
EDAT- 1995/07/01 00:00
MHDA- 1995/07/01 00:01
CRDT- 1995/07/01 00:00
PHST- 1995/07/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1995/07/01 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1995/07/01 00:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1183/09031936.95.08071155 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Eur Respir J. 1995 Jul;8(7):1155-60. doi: 10.1183/09031936.95.08071155.