Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
1997-3-18
pubmed:abstractText
The prevalence of respiratory symptoms, atopic sensitization and bronchial hyperresponsiveness was compared in a random sample of adults, 20-44 yrs of age, in two cities in West and East Germany, Hamburg and Erfurt, respectively. There were much higher levels of outdoor air pollution due to sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates in Erfurt, and major differences in living conditions during the last 40 yrs. Within the European Respiratory Health Survey, a short questionnaire was answered by 3,156 (80% response rate) subjects in Hamburg and 3,272 (74%) in Erfurt. A subset of responders to the short questionnaire completed a long questionnaire, spirometry, methacholine or bronchodilator test, skin test, and total and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) measurements, with a total number of 1,159 participants in Hamburg and 731 in Erfurt. Six out of 8 questions on respiratory symptoms and diagnoses were answered in the affirmative more frequently in Hamburg than in Erfurt. In Hamburg, mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)% of predicted was 105 vs 107% in Erfurt (p < 0.0001), and bronchial hyperresponsiveness was more frequently observed in Hamburg than in Erfurt (25 vs 19%; p < 0.05). Atopic sensitization was more prevalent in Hamburg than in Erfurt regarding the results of skin tests against grass pollen (24 vs 19%; p < 0.05), birch pollen (19 vs 8%; p < 0.0005), cat (10 vs 2%; p < 0.0005), and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (14 vs 10%; p < 0.05). This was reflected by the prevalences of positive specific IgE values, which were higher in Hamburg than in Erfurt for grass (26 vs 20%; p < 0.05), birch (20 vs 10%; p < 0.0005) and cat (12 vs 8%; p < 0.05). In Hamburg, compared to Erfurt, there was: a lower mean number of siblings (p < 0.005); a higher degree of childhood and current exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (p < 0.005); and a higher frequency of fitted carpets and reported mould or mildew inside the house (p < 0.005). Therefore, these data may support the hypothesis that childhood factors and exposure to indoor allergens and irritants may have been more relevant for the development of asthma and atopy than the potential long-term exposure to high concentrations of sulphur dioxide and particulate matter.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
0903-1936
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
9
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
2541-52
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Air Pollution, Indoor, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Bronchial Hyperreactivity, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Bronchial Provocation Tests, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Cross-Sectional Studies, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Female, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Germany, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Immunoglobulin E, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Logistic Models, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Male, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Prevalence, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Questionnaires, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Respiratory Function Tests, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Respiratory Hypersensitivity, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Respiratory Tract Diseases, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Risk Factors, pubmed-meshheading:8980967-Skin Tests
pubmed:year
1996
pubmed:articleTitle
Prevalence of respiratory symptoms, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and atopy among adults: west and east Germany.
pubmed:affiliation
Zentrum für Pneumologie und Thoraxchirurgie, Grosshansdorf, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't