Prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in Croatian children is increasing: survey study.

AIM To estimate the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis among school children in the region of Primorsko-goranska County in Croatia, and compare the results with data from other countries. METHODS The study was conducted during the 2001-2002 school year, in complete adherence to the Phase One protocol of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). The target population comprised two age groups (6-7 and 13-14 years) in the region of Primorsko-Goranska County in Croatia. Data were collected using standardized ISAAC written questionnaire and asthma video questionnaire. RESULTS There were 1,634 participating children in the 6-7 age group (response rate 80.3%) and 2,194 participating children in the 13-14 age group (response rate 89.8%). Estimated 12-month prevalence rates of symptoms were: wheezing 9.7% and 8.4%, allergic rhinitis symptoms 16.9% and 17.5%, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms 5.6% and 6.7%, and atopic dermatitis symptoms 5.4% and 3.4%, for younger and older age group, respectively. CONCLUSION Results suggest an increase in the prevalence of atopic disease symptoms in north-west part of Croatia over the last few decades when compared to prior studies. The results are suitable for international comparison, suggesting that this part of Croatia is a county with a moderate prevalence of atopic diseases in the pediatric population. The results represent a baseline for further epidemiological research of asthma and allergic diseases.