Symptoms related to asthma and chronic bronchitis in three areas of Sweden

Abstract

S Sy ym mp pt to om ms s r re el la at te ed d t to o a as st th hm ma a a an nd d c ch hr ro on ni ic c b br ro on nc ch hi it ti is s i in n tWheezing was reported by 20.5%, and the combination of wheezing without a cold and wheezing with breathlessness by 7.4%. The use of asthma medication was reported by 5.3%. Long-term cough and/or morning cough together with problems with phlegm was reported by 12.8%; the prevalence being highest in the most polluted area (Göteborg). When using multivariate analysis, no significant difference in asthma-related symptoms was found between the centres. Women reported cough more frequently, but otherwise gender did not influence symptom prevalence.Our results indicate that bronchitis symptoms occur more frequently in Göteborg, the most polluted of the Swedish centres, but that the prevalence rates of asthmarelated symptoms do not differ between these three regions.

Alarmingly high prevalence of smoking and symptoms of bronchitis in young women in Sweden: a population-based questionnaire study

“…On the other hand, the use of snuff is more common among young men. 18 Although smoking has decreased since 1990 when the overall smoking prevalence among adults aged 20-44 years in Sweden was 30-40%, 20 we were surprised by the high smoking prevalence we found among young women. The present smoking prevalence is, in fact, comparable to that found in a study in Northern Sweden in 1996.…”

“…25 The Swedish part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) with an age distribution from 20 up to 44 years did not report prevalence by age group, but the overall prevalence of bronchitis symptoms was similar to ours, although our study sample was considerably younger. 20 As symptoms of bronchitis tend to increase with age, 12,24 a comparison with the ECRHS results also suggests an increase in young subjects.…”

“…1 In 2012, even higher figures were reported from the Stockholm high schools where 37% of 17-year-old girls and 29% of boys smoked regularly. 2 Similarly, recent national Swedish statistics show that the general trend of decreased smoking in the population is no longer present in young women aged [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] years, where daily smoking increased from 10% in 2009 to 13% in 2011. 3 Smoking rates have traditionally been higher in men, but women are increasingly starting to smoke at an age equivalent to that of men.…”

Obesity increases the risk of incident asthma among adults

“…Notably, 40% of the incident cases of asthma reported hay fever. In studies based on prevalent cases, the proportion of asthmatics with rhinitis or hay fever is even greater [2,29].…”

Fatores associados à tosse seca, tosse produtiva e tosse noturna em adultos jovens na Nigéria

“…(7) Studies have discovered a female predisposition to cough and have shown that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors induce cough more often among women than among men. (8)(9)(10) The greater female predisposition to cough has been attributed to increased cough reflex sensitivity. (11,12) Awareness of demographic and environmental factors associated with the development of cough could promote early identification, increase prevention of such factors and improve treatment of respiratory conditions.…”