Asthma mortality among Swedish children and young adults, a 10-year study.

Background: Previous reports indicate that morbidity and mortality from asthma have increased during the past decades. Here, the mortality rate associated with asthma and possible risk factors in children and young adults in Sweden during the period 1994-2003 were evaluated.

Methods: The medical profession was asked to report suspected cases of death from asthma in individuals 1-34 years of age.

[Can asthma deaths in young people be predicted and prevented?].

Unlabelled: In spite of increased asthma prevalence, the mortality in the disease has decreased during the last two decades in Sweden and in some other countries. However, in the age group 15-24 years an increased death rate was noted at the end of the 1980s. Therefore we started a prospective study from 1994 with the aim of trying to analyse the precipitating factors of all deaths in the ages 1-34 years in which the death certificate alleged asthma or anaphylaxis as the main or contributing cause of death.