Abstract
Aims:
This paper describes the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, features of asthma, and characteristics associated with respiratory disease in 6–11 year old children in an historical cohort study.
Methods:
The study included 5086 children, all born in the same maternity unit in the north west of England over a four-year period. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms, features of asthma, and characteristics associated with respiratory disease were determined by the use of parent-completed questionnaires. Skin prick tests were used to ascertain atopic status.
Results:
The response was 47.5%. The prevalence of wheeze, asthma medication use and atopic sensitisation were 20.3%, 16.2% and 37.1% respectively. Wheeze and atopy were significantly more prevalent in boys (22.4% versus 17.9% and 43.0% versus 29.3%, respectively).
Conclusions:
This study identified a high prevalence of respiratory disease in this population and provides a baseline for monitoring trends in respiratory disease in 6–11 year old children.
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Dr M Linehan received a British Thoracic Society/Schering-Plough Travel Fellowship bursary of £750 in 2003. Dr P Frank has no conflict of interest. Dr R Niven has no conflict of interest. Dr M Hazell received a British Thoracic Society/Schering-Plough Travel Fellowship bursary of £750 in 2002, a fee for speaking from Boehringer Ingelheim and honoraria for providing training in evidence based practice and research methods for Education for Health. J Morris has no conflict of interest. Dr H Francis received a travel grant from Novartis. Dr T Frank received fees from GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Schering Plough and AstraZeneca for speaking; funds for research from GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD and Schering Plough; funds for consultancy from GSK and Pharmacia and travel grants from GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Chiesi Pharmaceuticals and MSD.
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Linehan, M., Frank, P., Niven, R. et al. Prevalence of respiratory symptoms, features of asthma, and characteristics associated with respiratory disease, in 6–11 year olds in Manchester. Prim Care Respir J 18, 21–26 (2009). https://doi.org/10.3132/pcrj.2008.00041
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3132/pcrj.2008.00041
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