| Summary: | Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open Objective: The prevalence of allergy and asthma is increasing in Western industrialized countries. The etiology of allergy is multifactorial and only partly understood. In an effort to gather information about asthma and allergy in the pediatric population in Iceland, we have evaluated on a regular basis a cohort of randomly selected children born in 1987. Material and methods: The first part of the study included 179 children at the age of 18-23 months (mean age 20 months). Of these, 161 children were re-evaluated at four years of age and 134 at eight years. The evaluation included a standardized questionnaire, clinical examination and skin-prick tests. Asthma, eczema, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and food allergy were diagnosed according to established criteria. Results: At 20 months of age 42% of the children were diagnosed with asthma or allergic disorders, 45% at four years and 34% at the age of eight years. Initially asthma and eczema were most common, but the prevalence and severity of eczema had decreased at four years of age and the prevalence of asthma decreased between four and eight years. No child was diagnosed with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis before two years of age but 7% of four year olds and 10% at the age of eight years. A quarter of the children had at some stage symptoms compatible with more than one allergic disorder. Two-thirds of the children who were diagnosed with eczema and/or asthma before two years of age, were symptom free at eight years. Thirty-eight percent of eight year old children with allergic symptoms had positive skin-prick tests to the allergens used, most commonly to cats. Seventy three percent of eight year old children with allergy and/or asthma, had a first degree relative with a history of allergies. Conclusions: As in other Western industrialized societies asthma and allergic disorders are common health problems amongst children in Iceland. However, the majority of ...
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