Asthma prevalence among adults in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives:To investigate asthma prevalence and to measure asthma symptoms among Saudi adults in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Methods:A cross-sectional survey using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaire carried out between April and June 2016, among male and female Saudi nationals aged 20-44 years living in Riyadh. Disproportionate cluster sampling method was used. Asthma was defined based on answering “yes” to any of the following: Have you had wheezing when you did not have a cold in the last 12 months? Have you been told by a physician to have asthma? Are you taking medicine for asthma?Results:A total of 2,405 participants completed the survey. The prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months when not having a cold was 18.2% with no significant difference between males and females (p=0.107). The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was 11.3% with no significant difference between males and females (p=0.239). The prevalence of taking medicine for asthma was 10.6%. There were no significant differences between asthmatic vs. non-asthmatic in terms of residency area (p=0.07), education level (p=0.11) and smoking tobacco (p=0.06). However, significant differences found between asthmatic and non-asthmatic in relation to nasal allergies (p<0.001).Conclusion:Asthma prevalence is high and much higher than the prevalence reported in most countries using the ECRHS questionnaire.

Frequency of Outpatient Inhalers Prescriptions in Riyadh

“…A national Saudi household survey was conducted in 2013 estimated that the self-reported clinical diagnosis of asthma to be 4.05% [19]. Another survey using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire carried out in Riyadh among a total of 2405 Saudi people aged between 20-44 years showed that the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma reported was 11.3% [20]. Regarding COPD, the overall prevalence of COPD in Saudi Arabia is 4.2% [21].…”

Biologic therapy in severe asthma: An update

“…Histamine, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes are released as a result of the degranulation of mast cell bound IgE. IL-5 also acts as a potent regulator for eosinophil proliferation, differentiation, and activation [3,[5][6][7]. Asthma is classi ied in four categories based on the immune cells involved in the mechanism.…”

“…It is characterised by a history of respiratory symptoms such as wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness and cough varying over time and intensity, as well as expiratory air low limitation [1]. Asthma symptoms are either episodic or persistent, affecting up to 18% of the Saudi population and prevalent in both adults and children [2][3][4][5]. Symptom control in the majority of asthma patients is usually achieved with the gold standard regimen, inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), however approximately 20% of patients do not achieve control, increasing mortality, morbidity and overall healthcare cost [4].…”

Evaluation of C-C Chemokine Ligand 5 (CCL5) Chemokine, Interleukin 5 (IL-5) Cytokine, and Eosinophil Counts as Potential Biomarkers in Saudi Patients with Chronic Asthma During Sandstorms

“…According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 235 million individuals worldwide have asthma [2]. Asthma is considered one of the most common chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia, affecting more than 2 million people over the past three decades, possibly as a result of changes in lifestyle, dietary habits, and exposure to environmental factors such as dust, indoor allergens, tobacco, and sandstorms [3].…”