Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma
Abstract Few studies have compared the prevalence of asthma in urban and rural settings or explored the issue of whether these two manifestations of the disease may represent different phenotypes. The aim of this study was: (a) to establish whether the prevalence of asthma differs between rural and...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25028-1 |
| _version_ | 1811190459410677760 |
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| author | Christian Romero-Mesones Iñigo Ojanguren David Espejo G. Granados Francisco-Javier González-Barcala María-Jesús Cruz Xavier Muñoz |
| author_facet | Christian Romero-Mesones Iñigo Ojanguren David Espejo G. Granados Francisco-Javier González-Barcala María-Jesús Cruz Xavier Muñoz |
| author_sort | Christian Romero-Mesones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Few studies have compared the prevalence of asthma in urban and rural settings or explored the issue of whether these two manifestations of the disease may represent different phenotypes. The aim of this study was: (a) to establish whether the prevalence of asthma differs between rural and urban settings, and b) to identify differences in the clinical presentation of asthma in these two environments. Descriptive epidemiological study involving individuals aged 18 or over from a rural (n = 516) and an urban population (n = 522). In the first phase, individuals were contacted by letter in order to organize the administration of a first validated questionnaire (Q1) designed to establish the possible prevalence of bronchial asthma. In the second phase, patients who had presented association patterns in the set of variables related to asthma in Q1 completed a second validated questionnaire (Q2), designed to identify the characteristics of asthma. According to Q1, the prevalence of asthma was 15% (n = 78) and 11% (n = 59) in rural and urban populations respectively. Sixty-five individuals with asthma from the rural population and all 59 individuals from the urban population were contacted and administered the Q2. Thirty-seven per cent of the individuals surveyed had previously been diagnosed with bronchial asthma (35% in the rural population and 40% in the urban setting). In the urban asthmatic population there was a predominance of women, a greater personal history of allergic rhinitis and a family history of allergic rhinitis and/or eczema. Asthma was diagnosed in adulthood in 74.8% of the patients, with no significant differences between the two populations. Regarding symptoms, cough (morning, daytime and night) and expectoration were more frequent in the urban population. The prevalence of asthma does not differ between urban and rural settings. The differences in exposure that characterize each environment may lead to different manifestations of the disease and may also affect its severity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:50:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3706db442a4042a999eb02315f04bfc6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:50:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-3706db442a4042a999eb02315f04bfc62022-12-22T04:17:28ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-11-011211910.1038/s41598-022-25028-1Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthmaChristian Romero-Mesones0Iñigo Ojanguren1David Espejo2G. Granados3Francisco-Javier González-Barcala4María-Jesús Cruz5Xavier Muñoz6Servicio de Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de BarcelonaServicio de Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de BarcelonaServicio de Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de BarcelonaServicio de Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de BarcelonaServicio de Neumología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de SantiagoServicio de Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de BarcelonaServicio de Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de BarcelonaAbstract Few studies have compared the prevalence of asthma in urban and rural settings or explored the issue of whether these two manifestations of the disease may represent different phenotypes. The aim of this study was: (a) to establish whether the prevalence of asthma differs between rural and urban settings, and b) to identify differences in the clinical presentation of asthma in these two environments. Descriptive epidemiological study involving individuals aged 18 or over from a rural (n = 516) and an urban population (n = 522). In the first phase, individuals were contacted by letter in order to organize the administration of a first validated questionnaire (Q1) designed to establish the possible prevalence of bronchial asthma. In the second phase, patients who had presented association patterns in the set of variables related to asthma in Q1 completed a second validated questionnaire (Q2), designed to identify the characteristics of asthma. According to Q1, the prevalence of asthma was 15% (n = 78) and 11% (n = 59) in rural and urban populations respectively. Sixty-five individuals with asthma from the rural population and all 59 individuals from the urban population were contacted and administered the Q2. Thirty-seven per cent of the individuals surveyed had previously been diagnosed with bronchial asthma (35% in the rural population and 40% in the urban setting). In the urban asthmatic population there was a predominance of women, a greater personal history of allergic rhinitis and a family history of allergic rhinitis and/or eczema. Asthma was diagnosed in adulthood in 74.8% of the patients, with no significant differences between the two populations. Regarding symptoms, cough (morning, daytime and night) and expectoration were more frequent in the urban population. The prevalence of asthma does not differ between urban and rural settings. The differences in exposure that characterize each environment may lead to different manifestations of the disease and may also affect its severity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25028-1 |
| spellingShingle | Christian Romero-Mesones Iñigo Ojanguren David Espejo G. Granados Francisco-Javier González-Barcala María-Jesús Cruz Xavier Muñoz Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma Scientific Reports |
| title | Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma |
| title_full | Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma |
| title_fullStr | Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma |
| title_short | Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma |
| title_sort | influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25028-1 |
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