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Wheeze, eczema stabilized as hay fever rose in Dutch schoolchildren

Wheeze in Dutch schoolchildren has stabilized since 2001, eczema has remained stable, and hay fever has increased more than 3% from 2001 and 2010, according to research presented at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology annual congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“After a worldwide rise in the prevalence of childhood asthma and wheeze, in the last years declining trends have been observed,” Dutch researchers reported. “Underlying causes that explain these trends are largely unknown, but a role of atopy is suspected.”

Parents of Dutch schoolchildren, aged 8 to 11 years, completed a questionnaire on respiratory health, including wheeze, in six repeated cross-sectional surveys (1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2010). ISAAC core questions on wheeze, eczema (defined as itchy, flexural rash) and hay fever, including nasal complaints with itchy, watery eyes, with or without a cold or flu in the past year, were introduced in the 2001, 2005 and 2010 surveys.

Participation was greater than 90%, including 1,794, 1,526, 1,670, 1,686, 1,467 and 704 survey respondents, respectively. Wheeze prevalence did not decrease further from 2001 to 2010 after an initial decrease from 1989 to 2001 (7.2%, 2001; 8.2%, 2005; 6%, 2010; P>.05 for trend). Eczema prevalence also did not change significantly from 2001 to 2010 (11.7%, 2001; 11.9%, 2005; 10.6%, 2010; P>.05); however, hay fever increased from 8.4% to 11.8% in the same period (P<.01).

“After a decreasing trend of wheeze prevalence … no further decrease was observed between 2001 and 2010,” the researchers concluded. “The prevalence of eczema remained stable between 2001 and 2010, while hay fever showed an increasing trend during this period. Finding explanations for these diverging trends forms a starting point for further unraveling the underlying causes of atopic diseases.”

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de Korte-de Boer D. #119. Presented at: European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology annual congress 2014; June 7-11; Copenhagen, Denmark.

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