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Prevalence of childhood asthma and allergies in Serbia and Montenegro

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Abstract

Background

This is the first multi-center epidemiological study on the prevalence of childhood asthma in Serbia and Montenegro. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase 3 is a large epidemiological multinational and multicentric study on the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in children.

Methods

The 12-month period prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema was calculated using an ISAAC phase 3 questionnaire for two age groups: 6–7 years old and 13–14 years old.

Results

In the 13 485 children from five study centers who responded to the questionnaire, the prevalence for childhood asthma ranged from 2.5% to 9.8%, for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (hay fever) from 4.6% to 21%, and for eczema from 8.2% to 17.2%. The prevalence of current wheezing was high in both age groups (16.5% and 12.4% respectively).

Conclusions

The prevalence of asthma is higher in 6–7 years old school children in the urban and largest cities of Belgrade and Nis, and in 13–14 years old children in Podgorica. The prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in the school children of Serbia and Montenegro seems similar to that of other countries in Central and South-Eastern Europe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children’s Hospital for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis, Medical Center “Dr Dragiša Mišović”, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Zorica Živković & Sofija Cerović

  2. Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Zoran Vukašinović

  3. Pediatric Clinic, Medical Center Podgorica, Podgorica, 38220, Montenegro

    Suzana Radulović & Omer Adžović

  4. Pediatric Clinic, Medical Center Niš, Niš, 18000, Serbia

    Snežana Živanović

  5. Chest Department, Regional Health Center, Sombor, 25000, Serbia

    Eva Panić

  6. Health Center, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia

    Mila Hadnadjev

  7. Children’s Hospital for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis, Medical Center “Dr Dragiša Mišović”, Jovana Marinovića 4, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Zorica Živković

Authors
  1. Zorica Živković
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  2. Zoran Vukašinović
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  3. Sofija Cerović
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  4. Suzana Radulović
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  5. Snežana Živanović
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  6. Eva Panić
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  7. Mila Hadnadjev
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  8. Omer Adžović
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Correspondence to Zorica Živković.

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Živković, Z., Vukašinović, Z., Cerović, S. et al. Prevalence of childhood asthma and allergies in Serbia and Montenegro. World J Pediatr 6, 331–336 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-010-0207-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-010-0207-y

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