[Asthma prevalence in adolescents. Relation to sex and active smoking].

Background: Asthma prevalence in adolescents appears to be increasing and determinants are not well established.

Objective: To determine the association between sex and active smoking with asthma prevalence in adolescents.

Participants And Method: In this cross-sectional study 6,922 students, ages 12 to 18 years, residents in an area of northeastern Mexico, were included.

[Asthma classification].

Asthma, as chronic inflammatory disease, shows variations in clinical manifestations and the degree of airflow obstruction, so its severity may change over time in the same patient. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) established a practical system of classification, considering clinical and functional aspects as frequency of diurnal and nocturnal respiratory symptoms and lung function, their combination allows for classifying asthma severity as intermittent and persistent ( mild, moderate and severe). Recently, it has been proposed to classify the asthma according to degree of control: controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled.

[Clinical symptom relief in obese patients with persistent moderate asthma secondary to decreased obesity].

Background: The prevalence of asthma and obesity has increased last years implying important economical and social consequences. A relationship between asthma severity and obesity grade has been found. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate if obesity decline has a beneficial impact on asthma severity.

Effect of allergic rhinitis, asthma and rhinobronchitis on dental malocclusion in adolescents.

Objective: To determine the effect of allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma, rhinobronchitis (ARB) on dental malocclusion in adolescents.

Method: This is a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective and sample descriptive study of 2556 adolescents aged 14-20 years. AR, asthma and ARB were defined by self-reported.

[Current and future approaches for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of inferior respiratory tract].

Among the allergic disorders we emphasize the inflammatory diseases of the inferior respiratory tract by their incidence, repercussion in daily activities, and by their high cost of medical attention. For their treatment, they require more than one inhaled or systemic drug. Current medicines tend to have adverse or secondary effects, such as: osteoporosis, type 3 diabetes mellitus, tremor or tachycardia.

[Reactions to drugs. A review of literature].

Adverse drug reactions are originated by immunological and non-immunological mechanisms. Estimated incidence is of 6.7%, and the incidence of mortal reactions is of 0.

[Occupational asthma and reactive airway dysfunction syndrome].

Occupational asthma could be defined as a reversible lung disorder characterized by attacks of breathing difficulty, wheezing, and cough, which are caused by various agents found in the workplace. Incidence varies from 2 to 15% in adult work population; actually there is no data for the child population. Allergic occupational asthma is due to allergic sensitization to a specific substance or material present at the workplace; non-allergic occupational asthma occurs because of the high exposure to an irritant also at the workplace.

[Nasal budesonide plus zafirlukast vs nasal budesonide plus loratadine-pseudoephedrine for controlling the symptoms of rhinitis and asthma].

Objective: To compare the efficacy of nasal budesonide plus oral zafirlukast against nasal budesonide plus oral loratadine/pseudoephedrine combination in the control of symptoms of rhinitis and asthma.

Patients And Methods: A controlled, clinical, randomized, double blind and crossover study was made in 36 patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma following one of the next treatment regimes: group a) nasal budesonide plus oral zafirlukast twice a day or group b) nasal budesonide plus oral loratadine/pseudoephedrine twice a day, both of them during six weeks, and two weeks of washing and crossover of the treatments during six more weeks. Changes in the rhinitis and asthma symptoms, blood eosinophils, pulmonary function testing, and nasal cytology were evaluated before and after the treatment.

[Prevalence and potential triggering factors of chronic urticaria and angioedema in an urban area of northeastern Mexico].

Background: Urticaria and angioedema are illnesses of easy diagnosis, but to solve them or to determine their cause is complex, as well as the therapeutic management of chronic cases.

Objective: To determine the prevalence, possible precipitating factors and chronic urticaria characteristics.

Material And Methods: A questionnaire was applied to 4,000 persons selected at random, from the ages of 18-50 years, women and men.