salud pública de méxico / vol.43, no.5, septiembre-octubre de 2001 Prevalencia de asma en niños escolares: un estudio ISAAC ARTÍCULO ORIGINAL Barraza-Villarreal A, Sanín-Aguirre LH, Téllez-Rojo MM, Lacasaña-Navarro M, Romiew I. Prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in school children in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Salud Publica Mex 2001;43:433-443. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html AbstractObjective. To assess the prevalence and severity of asthma and allergic diseases in schoolchildren residing in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Material and Methods. A crosssectional study was conducted from April 1998 to May 1999, among 6 174 children from 53 schools in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. The method used was the one recommended by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) to determine the prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. Parents were asked to answer a standardized questionnaire on current and cumulative prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. A sample stratified by level of pollution was selected. Results. The cumulative prevalence of medically diagnosed asthma and wheezing was 6.8% (95% CI 6.2, 7.4) and 20% (95% CI 19.7, 21.8), respectively. The prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months was higher in the group aged 6-8 years than in those aged 11-14 years (9.7% vs. 5.8 %, p<0.01). The prevalence of medically diagnosed rhinitis was 5.0 % (95% CI 4.5, 5.6). The prevalence of medically diagnosed eczema was 4.9% (4.3, 5.4). The prevalence of eczema symptoms in the last 12 months was 12.7% in the 6-8 years group and 13.3% in the 11-14 year group, respectively. Severe symptoms of asthma were significantly higher in the 6-8 years group and during

Objective. The measurement of asthma, rhinitis and eczema have been subject of controversy due to lack of a standardized methodology. To test the applicability of a standardized methodology for comparisons of time and space we determined the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in a random sample of schoolchildren (n= 6 238) from 6 to 8 and 11 to 14 years of age living in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Material and methods. The methodology proposed by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) to determine prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis and eczema was applied. Current and accumulated information on prevalence was obtained by means of a standardized questionnaire answered by the children's parents. Results. The accumulated prevalence of asthma by medical diagnosis and wheezing was 5.8% (5.2-6.4) and 21.8% (20.7-22.9) respectively; prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months was 8.9% in the group of 6 to 8 years against 6.6% in the 11 to 14 year old group p<0.001. Prevalence of the medical diagnosis of rhinitis was 4.9% (4.3-5.5). Regarding the typical symptoms of rhinitis, in the last 12 months prevalence was 9.6% (6-8 years) and 10.1% (11-14 years). Prevalence of eczema by medical diagnosis was 4.1% (3.6-4.6). Prevalence of eczema symptoms in the last 12 months was 10.1% (6-8 years) and 10.6% (11-14 years). Prevalence of severe asthma symp-

Exposición prenatal a los plaguicidas organoclorados y criptorquidiaPrenatal exposure to organochlorine pesticides and cryptorchidism (HCB, ß-HCH, pp'DDT, op'DDT y pp'DDE) (HCB, ß-HCH, pp'DDT, op'DDT and pp'DDE) Resumen Los productos en desarrollo y los niños son particularmente vulnerables a los tóxicos ambientales. Nuestro objetivo es determinar los niveles de plaguicidas organoclorados Palabras clave Disruptores endocrinos, Exposición prenatal, Criptorquidia y Plaguicidas organoclorados Abstract Fetuses and children are more susceptible to the effects of environmental toxins. The objective of this article is to determine the levels of organochlorine pesticides

This study confirms that children of radiator repair workers are at increased risk of lead exposure and public health interventions are needed to protect them.

Plomo en sangre materna y del recién nacido ARTÍCULO ORIGINAL Niveles de plomo sanguíneo en madres y recién nacidos derechohabientes del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialJoel Navarrete-Espinosa, M.C., M.A.H., (1) Luz Helena Sanín-Aguirre, M.C., M.S.P., Dr. en C., (2,3) Celia Escandón-Romero, M.S.P., (1) Guadalupe Benitez-Martínez, M.S.P., (1) Gustavo Olaiz-Fernández, M.C., (4) Mauricio Hernández-Avila, M.C., Ph.D. (3) (1) Subjefatura de Epidemiología, Jefatura AbstractObjective. To establish the relation between maternal blood lead (MBL) and umbilical cord blood lead (CBL) levels during delivery, and to determine the major predictors for MBL in women covered by the Mexican Institute of Social Security (MISS), in Mexico City. Material and methods. From 1991 to 1993, a cross-sectional study was conducted in four MISS hospitals, among normal pregnant women who volunteered to participate. Blood samples were taken from women and from the umbilical cord during delivery. Statistical analysis consisted of descriptive statistics and simple and multiple linear regression. Results. A total of 1 404 mothernewborn pairs were studied. Mean maternal age was 25 years. MBL average was 10.7 ± 6.5 µg/dl; no significant differences were found by hospital, age, or marital status. Mean CBL was 10.4 ± 6.2 µg/dl. A log unit increase in MBL corresponded to a log increase of 0.62 in CBL (p< 0.01). Pearson's correlation was 0.61 (p< 0.01). The main predictors of MBL were: Use of lead-glazed ceramic (positively associated) and milk and orange juice intake (negatively associated). Fortyseven percent of mothers and 50 percent of the newborn babies had values higher than 10 µg/dl, and 578 of them had blood lead levels higher than their mothers. Conclusions. Further studies should be carried out in order to identify necessary interventions.