Cross-section of self-reported asthma triggers on children with asthma in China: data from smartphone-based Chinese Children's Asthma Action Plan

Abstract

BackgroundAsthma trigger plays an important role in children with asthma. To identify the asthma triggers accurately in China, we compared the asthma triggers in different age, gender and geographical location subgroups.MethodsThis cross-section study reviewed the data from February 22, 2017 to November 23, 2020. And the data were from smartphone-based Chinese Children's Asthma Action Plan. Self-reported asthma triggers were described as following: upper respiratory infection, allergen exposure, exercise, crying or laughing, pungent odors, air pollution/smog, climate change and tobacco smoke. Clustering participates into three subgroups according to the age, gender and geographical location. To subdivide the age into <6 years and 6-17 years. The Gender was consisted of boy and girl. And geographical location was divided from the east, central and west in China. In the three subgroups, we calculated the percentage of each asthma trigger. Chi-square test was applied for data comparison based on different factors. ResultsWe enrolled 6835 patients who had reported about the asthma triggers, and upper respiratory infections accounted for 77.8% was in the first place among eight asthma triggers. In gender subgroups, boy-girl difference was found only in asthma trigger of exercise (P<0.05). In the age subgroups, the ratio of upper respiratory infection trigger was higher in <6 years group. The allergen exposure, exercise, pungent odors, air pollution/smog and tobacco smoke triggers ratios were all higher in 6-17 years group (P<0.05). Among the geographical location subgroups, allergen exposure trigger ratio in east was highest of three regions. The ratio of exercise trigger in central region was highest. However, the ratio of air pollution/smog trigger in west region was lowest (P<0.05).ConclusionsIn conclusion, we overviewed the data from smartphone-based Chinese Children's Asthma Action Plan. Gender difference in the aspect of exercise trigger was found. We also found age and geographic differences in distribution of asthma triggers (allergen exposure trigger, exercise trigger, pungent odors trigger and air pollution/smog trigger). Through analyzing age, gender and geographic characteristics of asthma trigger, protective measures can be made for children with asthma in advance.

Analysis of disease burden due to high body mass index in childhood asthma in China and the USA based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

“…In this guideline, clear quantitative indicators for the diagnosis of asthma in children are proposed, thus effectively improving the level of diagnosis [21]. The rapid decline from 2017 to 2019 may be the result of the first Chinese Children's Asthma Action Plan (CCAAP) released in China in 2017, which combines doctors' treatment decisions, education on basic asthma treatment and children's compliance with medical advice, providing a standardized and personalized basis for child treatment and family management, thus enhancing asthma control [22]. DALYs of asthma in children of all ages in China were decreasing, which could be attributed to the release of asthma guidelines and the promotion of formal treatment protocols.…”