Aspirin-intolerant asthma in the population : prevalence and important determinants

• BACKGROUND: Population-based studies on aspirin-intolerant asthma are very few and no previous population study has investigated risk factors for the condition.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of aspirin-intolerant asthma in the general population.METHODS: A questionnaire on respiratory health was mailed to 30 000 randomly selected subjects aged 16-75 years in West Sweden, 29 218 could be traced and 18 087 (62%) responded. The questionnaire included questions on asthma, respiratory symptoms, aspirin-induced dyspnea and possible determinants.RESULTS: The prevalence of aspirin-intolerant asthma was 0.5%, 0.3% in men and 0.6% in women (p=0.014). Sick leave, emergency visits due to asthma and all investigated lower respiratory symptoms were more common in aspirin-intolerant asthma than in aspirin-tolerant asthma. Obesity was a strong risk factor for aspirin-intolerant asthma (BMI>35: OR 12.1; 95% CI 2.49-58.5) and there was a dose-response relationship between increasing body mass index and risk of aspirin-intolerant asthma. Obesity, airborne occupational exposure and visible mold at home were considerably stronger risk factors for aspirin-intolerant asthma than for aspirin-tolerant asthma. Current smoking was a risk factor for aspirin-intolerant asthma (OR 2.55; 95% CI 1.47-4.42), but not aspirin-tolerant asthma.CONCLUSION: Aspirin-intolerant asthma identified in the general population was associated with a high burden of symptoms, uncontrolled disease and a high morbidity. Increasing body mass index increased the risk of aspirin-intolerant asthma in a dose-response manner. A number of risk factors, including obesity and current smoking, were considerably stronger for aspirin-intolerant asthma than for aspirin-tolerant asthma.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Health and Environmental Health (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Lungmedicin och allergi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Respiratory Medicine and Allergy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

aspirin-intolerant asthma

epidemiology

risk factors

obesity

population survey

aspirin-intolerant asthma;epidemiology;obesity;population survey;risk factors

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)