Allergic conditions in 5–8‐year‐old Maltese schoolchildren: Prevalence, severity, and associated risk factors [ISAAC]

Abstract

Allergic conditions, especially asthma, seem to be increasingly common worldwide. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was the first study carried out worldwide using standardized questionnaires in order to create a reliable global map of childhood allergy. The Maltese Islands were one of the centres that participated in this study and in this article the data obtained from 3,506 5-8-year-old children from 24 state schools (78.5% response rate), and also data obtained from some added 'local' questions addressed to the same children, were analyzed in order to evaluate the problem of allergic conditions in Maltese schoolchildren. Of the participants, 19.1% were wheezers 'ever,' while 8.8% were current wheezers. Of the latter, 15.9% experienced nocturnal wheezing at least once a week and 13.3% had a wheezing episode of sufficient severity to limit speech. Nasal problems were present in 23.4% of these children, and in 20.7% of all respondents these symptoms persisted up to the year of answering the questionnaire. Hay fever had been diagnosed in 14.7% of all the children. Seven per cent of respondents had a recurrent, itchy rash (suggestive of eczema) for at least 6 months of their lives and 5.5.% had it currently. The prevalence of wheezing and eczema were slightly lower than the global mean, unlike rhinitis which in Malta was commoner than the world average. Multiple variables, such as gender, breast-feeding, passive smoking, family history of atopy, pets, soft furnishings, and living next to busy roads, were factors that affected the prevalence and severity of the allergic conditions studied. In conclusion, allergic conditions are very common in Maltese schoolchildren and cause great hardship to these same youngsters. The results of this study should serve as a stimulus to try to decrease this suffering through better management of these conditions, measures to control identified detrimental factors (such as passive smoking), and further research on asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema.

Associations between indoor environmental smoke and respiratory symptoms among preschool children in Shanghai, China

“…We only found that family smoking either currently or at child's birth has weak associations with child's wheeze ever or in the last 12 months (Table 4). We also found no significant associations between parental smoking (both paternal and maternal smoking) and child's rhinitis and hay fever, which are consistent with previous studies [3,24,25]. Therefore, smoking among parents may be not a strong risk factor for respiratory symptoms.…”

“…A review also found that effective tobacco smoke control can rapidly reduce the prevalence of respiratory diseases [21]. However, several studies found no association between parental smoking and asthma [22,23], wheeze [23,24], hay fever [24,25] or rhinitis [3,25]. Moreover, a study conducted by ISAAC Phase One Study Group, found that "countries that have high adult male smoking rates have a lower risk of asthma and rhinitis symptoms in children" [26].…”

A decrease in the prevalence and improved control of allergic conditions in 13‐ to 15‐yr‐old Maltese children (ISAAC)

“…The prevalence of allergic conditions in Maltese schoolchildren was already of major concern in 1994/95 following the results of ISAAC phase 1 in the Maltese Islands. These revealed that our schoolchildren in the younger age group, both 5‐ to 8‐yr‐olds (1) and 13‐to 15‐yr‐olds (2), were very commonly and severely affected by wheezing, rhinitis and eczema even when compared to other nations taking part in this worldwide study (3). Another worrying finding was that, in the case of the 5‐to 8‐yr‐old age group, asthma and rhinitis continued to rise steadily in prevalence over the 7 ensuing years between phase 1 and phase 3 of the ISAAC study in the Maltese Islands (4).…”

Feeding practices of babies and the development of atopic dermatitis in children after 12 months of age in Armenia: Is there a signal?

“…Informed consent was obtained from the participants before starting the interview by phone. For the development of the study questionnaire, the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood instrument [19] was used. The investigators supplemented it with additional questions related to the topic of interest.…”