Early-life risk factors for development of asthma from 8 to 28 years of age: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The objective was to estimate the incidence rate of asthma from age 8 to 28 years and evaluate early-life risk factors for asthma onset at different ages.

Methods: In 1996, within the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden (OLIN) studies, a cohort of 3430 schoolchildren (97% of invited) was recruited at age 8 years to a prospective study about asthma. The cohort was followed annually from age 8 to 19 years and at 28 years by questionnaire surveys (67% of the original cohort participated).

Maternal Stress, Early Life Factors and Infant Salivary Cortisol Levels.

Background: Salivary cortisol (SC), a commonly used biomarker for stress, may be disrupted by negative events in pregnancy, at birth and in infancy. We aimed to explore if maternal perceived stress (PSS) in or after pregnancy and SC levels in pregnancy were associated with SC in early infancy, and, secondly, to identify early life factors associated with infants' SC levels (iSC).

Methods: At 3 months of age, SC was analyzed in 1057 infants participating in a Nordic prospective mother-child birth cohort study.

The Majority of Children Sensitized Before School-Age Develop Allergic Disease Before Adulthood: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

Background: Allergic sensitization increases the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis, but the impact of age at onset of sensitization is less studied.

Objective: To examine the cumulative incidence of asthma and rhinitis up to age 19 years in relation to age at onset of sensitization to airborne allergens.

Method: All children in grade 1 and 2 (median age, 8 years) in 2 municipalities in Northern Sweden were invited to undergo skin prick tests and answer a questionnaire about allergic diseases, and 88% participated.

Asthma increased in young adults from 2008-2016 despite stable allergic rhinitis and reduced smoking.

Background: Studies have produced inconsistent results on prevalence trends in asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR). We surveyed young adults about asthma in 2008 and 2016 and examined the impact of gender, AR and smoking.

Methods: Thirty-thousand randomly selected subjects aged 16-75 years in Western Sweden received postal questionnaires in 2008 and 50,000 in 2016.

Shorter time to clinical decision in work-related asthma using a digital tool.

https://bit.ly/3d5SY78.

Cohort profile: the West Sweden Asthma Study (WSAS): a multidisciplinary population-based longitudinal study of asthma, allergy and respiratory conditions in adults.

Purpose: The West Sweden Asthma Study (WSAS) is a population-representative longitudinal study established to: (1) generate data on prevalence trends, incidence and remission of asthma, allergy and respiratory conditions, (2) elucidate on the risk and prognostic factors associated with these diseases, (3) characterise clinically relevant phenotypes of these diseases and (4) catalyse relevant mechanistic, genomic, genetic and translational investigations.

Participants: WSAS comprised of randomly selected individuals aged 16 to 75 years who are followed up longitudinally. The first stage involved a questionnaire survey (>42 000 participants) and was undertaken in 2008 and 2016.

Changes in the prevalence of asthma and respiratory symptoms in western Sweden between 2008 and 2016.

Background: Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, with a noticeable increase in prevalence during the second half of the 20th century. Recent studies assessing the prevalence trends among adults have been inconsistent. We investigated the changes in the prevalence of asthma, respiratory symptoms, and risk factors between 2008 and 2016 in western Sweden.

Prevalence, clinical characteristics and morbidity of the Asthma-COPD overlap in a general population sample.

Objective: Although asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been regarded as distinct conditions, emerging literature suggests that overlapping phenotypes, called asthma-COPD overlap (ACO), exists. The aim of this study was to describe prevalence, patient characteristics and morbidity of ACO.

Methods: From a cross-sectional population sample, the West Sweden Asthma Study, subjects with suspected asthma, chronic bronchitis or COPD, and a random sample, were invited to clinical examinations.

Patient-reported signs of dampness at home may be a risk factor for chronic rhinosinusitis: A cross-sectional study.

Background: An association between dampness at home and respiratory conditions has been convincingly demonstrated in children. Fewer studies have been performed in adults, and data are lacking for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). With a prevalence of 10.

Increase in Allergic Sensitization in Schoolchildren: Two Cohorts Compared 10 Years Apart.

Background: Time trends of incidence of allergic sensitization are unknown and recent trends of prevalence and risk factors are lacking.

Objective: To estimate the incidence, prevalence, remission, risk factors, and time trends for allergic sensitization among schoolchildren followed from age 7 to 8 years to age 11 to 12 years.

Methods: In 2006, all children in grades 1 and 2 aged 7 to 8 years in 2 municipalities in northern Sweden were invited to a questionnaire survey and to skin prick testing to 10 common airborne allergens.

High incidence and persistence of airborne allergen sensitization up to age 19 years.

Background: Longitudinal population-based studies about the natural history of allergic sensitization are rare. The aim was to study incidence and persistence of airborne allergen sensitization up to young adulthood and risk factors for early and late onset of sensitization.

Methods: All children aged 7-8 years in two municipalities in Northern Sweden were invited to a parental questionnaire and skin prick tests (SPTs) to ten airborne allergens, and 2148 (88%) participated.

Only severe COPD is associated with being underweight results from a population survey.

Low body mass index (BMI) and malnutrition in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with a poor prognosis. The prevalence of underweight, as well as overweight, in severity grades of COPD is sparsely investigated in studies of the general population and the associated patterns of risk factors are not well established. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between severity grades of airflow limitation in COPD, and both underweight and obesity when corrected for possible confounding factors.

Simultaneously elevated exhaled nitric oxide and serum-eosinophil cationic protein relate to recent asthma events in asthmatics in a cross-sectional population-based study.

Background: We have reported that increased fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a measure of TH -driven airway inflammation, and blood eosinophil count, a marker of systemic eosinophil inflammation, correlated with asthma attacks in a population-based study.

Objective: To investigate the relation between simultaneously elevated FeNO and serum eosinophil cationic protein (S-ECP) levels and asthma events among asthmatics.

Methods: Measurements of FeNO (elevated ≥ 25 ppb) and S-ECP (elevated ≥ 20 ng/mL) were performed in 339 adult asthmatics.

Relevance of specific IgE antibody titer to the prevalence, severity, and persistence of asthma among 19-year-olds in northern Sweden.

Background: Although sensitization to indoor allergens is strongly associated with asthma, there are questions as to how this relates to asthma symptoms.

Objective: We sought to study the relevance of IgE antibodies to cat and dog allergens in an area in which (1) the climate discourages cockroach, fungal, and mite growth and (2) dander allergens are known to be present in schools and houses without animals.

Methods: IgE to 8 allergens was tested in 963 sera from a population-based study on 19-year-olds, and associations with asthma symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment were examined.

Increase in pollen sensitization in Swedish adults and protective effect of keeping animals in childhood.

Background: To date, most studies of the 'allergy epidemic' have been based on self-reported data. There is still limited knowledge on time trends in allergic sensitization, especially among adults.

Objective: To study allergic sensitization, its risk factors and time trends in prevalence.

Important non-disease-related determinants of exhaled nitric oxide levels in mild asthma - results from the Swedish GA(2) LEN study.

Background: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) has a potential clinical role in asthma management. Constitutive factors such as age, height and gender, as well as individual characteristics, such as IgE sensitization and smoking, affect the levels of FeNO in population-based studies. However, their effect on FeNO in subjects with asthma has been scarcely studied.

How to optimise patient and public involvement in your research: Doing science.

This paper considers how best to achieve patient and public involvement in research and how to get the most out of it http://ow.ly/R0hwV.

Juniors' voice at the ERS International Congress, Amsterdam 2015: Juniors' Voice.

Junior member activities at the ERS International Congress 2015 http://ow.ly/R2oIn.

Prevalence and risk factors of COPD among never-smokers in two areas of Sweden - Occupational exposure to gas, dust or fumes is an important risk factor.

Background: Although active tobacco smoking is the main risk factor for COPD, COPD is not uncommon also among never-smokers. Different study locations along with different spirometric definitions of COPD have historically yielded different prevalence estimates of the disease.

Aim: To study current prevalence and risk factors of COPD among never-smokers in two areas of Sweden.

Doing science: how to get credit for your scientific work.

Everyone deserves to be acknowledged for their efforts and contributions to a shared goal, and getting credit for your scientific work should be part of a natural process and should be fair and straightforward. However, credit cannot be objectively measured despite it having a big influence and, unfortunately, getting appropriate credit can occasionally be both complicated and challenging.

13th ERS Lung Science Conference. The most important take home messages: News from the Underground.

The 13th ERS Lung Science Conference (LSC) was organised to bring academics together from all over the world to present and discuss the latest developments regarding lung infection and immunity. The conference took place in breathtaking Estoril, Portugal; however, it wasn't the beautiful surroundings that were our main motivation to attend, but instead the scientific merit of the conference and the chance to create new scientific collaborations. The scientific programme [1] was packed with the most up-to-date content in the field of lung infection and immunity and included some of the top researchers within this exciting area.