The impact of atmospheric pollutants on the prevalence of atopic eczema in 6-7-year-old schoolchildren in Spain; ISAAC Phase III.

Atopic Eczema (AE) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects children and adults, and alters quality of life with a high morbidity rate and severe economic burden. The objective of the present work was to analyse specific atmospheric pollutants (O3, NO, PM10 and SO2) affecting the prevalence of diagnosed AE and its symptoms among 6-7-year-old schoolchildren.The participants included 21311 schoolchildren aged 6-7 years from 8 Spanish regions, whose parents completed the ISAAC Phase III questionnaire to ascertain AE diagnosis and symptoms.

Prevalence of asthma symptoms in schoolchildren, and climate in west European countries: an ecologic study.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the associations between the prevalence of asthma symptoms in schoolchildren and meteorological variables in west European countries that participated in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC), Phase III 1997-2003. An ecologic study was carried out. The prevalence of asthma was obtained from this study from 48 centers in 14 countries, and meteorological variables from those stations closest to ISAAC centers, together with other socioeconomic and health care variables.

Atopic dermatitis and indoor use of energy sources in cooking and heating appliances.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) prevalence has considerably increased worldwide in recent years. Studying indoor environments is particularly relevant, especially in industrialised countries where many people spend 80% of their time at home, particularly children. This study is aimed to identify the potential association between AD and the energy source (biomass, gas and electricity) used for cooking and domestic heating in a Spanish schoolchildren population.

Early exposure to paracetamol or to antibiotics and eczema at school age: modification by asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis.

The association between early exposure to paracetamol or to antibiotics and eczema is conflicting. This study aims to know whether the early exposure to those drugs is associated with eczema at school age, and whether the strength of the association is modified by the presence of asthma or rhinoconjunctivitis. Children aged 6-7 (n = 13908) from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood in Spain provided data about current asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema.

[Air pollution and recent symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema in schoolchildren aged between 6 and 7 years].

Objective: The objective of the study was to analyze the relationship between air pollutants and the prevalence of recent symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema in schoolchildren aged between 6 and 7 years.

Patients And Methods: The prevalence of recent (previous 12 months) symptoms of allergic diseases was obtained by means of the questionnaire of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), Spain, with the participation of 7 centers (Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, La Coruña, Madrid, and Valencia) and 20 455 schoolchildren aged between 6 and 7 years, from 2002 to 2003. The pollutant detection systems of the aforementioned centers provided the mean annual concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and total suspended particulate matter.

Influence of two different geo-climatic zones on the prevalence and time trends of asthma symptoms among Spanish adolescents and schoolchildren.

Few studies have focused on the long-term influence of the climate on the prevalence of asthma. The aim of this study is to establish the influence of geo-climatic conditions on the prevalence of asthma symptoms both in adolescents and schoolchildren, and to discover if this influence is associated with their time trends. Eight centres in Spain performed both ISAAC phases I (1994) and III (2002) in children 13-14 years old.

[Prevalence of atopic eczema and nutritional factors in 6-7 year old children].

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of atopic eczema (AE) and to find the characteristics of the diet of children with AE.

Design: Descriptive, transversal study.

Setting: Primary schools.

Relationship of asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis with obesity, exercise and Mediterranean diet in Spanish schoolchildren.

Background: Although several studies have investigated the influence of diet on asthma in schoolchildren, none of them has evaluated how obesity can modify this effect. A study was undertaken to evaluate the association of various foods and a Mediterranean diet with the prevalence of asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis, adjusting for obesity and exercise.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 20 106 schoolchildren aged 6-7 years from eight Spanish cities.

[Time trends in prevalence of symptoms of allergic rhinitis in 13-14 year-old schoolchildren in 8 areas of Spain between 1993-1994 and 2001-2002 according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)].

Background And Objective: Our goal was to estimate the time trends in the prevalence of symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) and its geographic variations.

Population And Method: During 2001-2002, the phase 3 of ISAAC study was carried out, and a comparison with the phase 1 (1993-1994) was done. This cross sectional study included 30,046 schoolchildren 13-14 years-old from 9 centers (Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Castellon, Madrid, Pamplona, Valencia, and Valladolid).