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Influence of two different geo-climatic zones on the prevalence and time trends of asthma symptoms among Spanish adolescents and schoolchildren

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Abstract

Few studies have focused on the long-term influence of the climate on the prevalence of asthma. The aim of this study is to establish the influence of geo-climatic conditions on the prevalence of asthma symptoms both in adolescents and schoolchildren, and to discover if this influence is associated with their time trends. Eight centres in Spain performed both ISAAC phases I (1994) and III (2002) in children 13–14 years old. Six of them also surveyed children 6–7 years old. For each age group and phase, about 3,000 children were surveyed per centre. This study examines the prevalence of current wheeze and severe current wheeze in two different geo-climatic zones, coast and plateau, considering their relative humidity and temperature range. In both age groups, the mean asthma prevalence on the coast, for phase I and III, was significantly higher than on the plateau. Living on the plateau was an independent protective factor for current wheeze and severe current wheeze for the two age groups. Within the coastal centres, the increase of the annual relative humidity was a statistical significant risk factor for current wheeze, the same trend existing for current severe wheeze. These effects were independent of the sex and of the phase of the study. The prevalence of asthma and severe asthma symptoms is more frequent on the coast of Spain as compared to the inner plateau. This finding was repeated both in 1994 and in 2002.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mr. Anthony Carlson for his corrections of the English language. Funding was provided by: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Red de Centros RCESP (C03/09); Oscar Rava Foundation fund 2001, Barcelona; Health Department, Navarra Autonomic Government; Rotaria Luis Vives Fund 2002–2003, Valencia; Health Department, Murcia Autonomic Government; Environmental Unit, Cartagena Town Hall; and AstraZeneca Spain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Units, Arrixaca University Children’s Hospital and CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Murcia, Spain

    Luis García-Marcos

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Torrecárdenas Hospital, Almería, Spain

    José Batllés-Garrido

  3. Department of Pediatrics, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain

    Alfredo Blanco-Quirós

  4. Pediatric Allergy and Pneumology Unit, 12 de Octubre Children’s Hospital, Madrid, Spain

    Gloria García-Hernández

  5. Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    Francisco Guillén-Grima

  6. Department of Pediatrics, Basurto Hospital, Bilbao, Spain

    Carlos González-Díaz

  7. Riosa - Argame Health Centre, Asturias, Spain

    Águeda García-Merino

  8. Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Authority, Castellón, Spain

    Alberto Arnedo-Pena

  9. Department of Pediatrics, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain

    Rosa M. Busquets-Monge

  10. Public and Environmental Health Unit, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    María Morales-Suárez-Varela

  11. María José Jove Foundation, La Coruña, Spain

    Ángel López-Silvarrey-Varela

  12. Department of Pediatrics, Donostia Hospital, San Sebastián, Spain

    Nekane García-Andoin

  13. Pabellón Docente Universitario, Campus Ciencias de la Salud, 30120, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain

    Luis García-Marcos

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  1. Luis García-Marcos
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  2. José Batllés-Garrido
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  3. Alfredo Blanco-Quirós
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  12. Nekane García-Andoin
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Correspondence to Luis García-Marcos.

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García-Marcos, L., Batllés-Garrido, J., Blanco-Quirós, A. et al. Influence of two different geo-climatic zones on the prevalence and time trends of asthma symptoms among Spanish adolescents and schoolchildren. Int J Biometeorol 53, 53–60 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-008-0190-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-008-0190-3

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