THE PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA, RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND ALLERGIC RHINITIS IN AN EASTERN GERMAN CITY - EC RESPIRATORY HEALTH SURVEY IN ERFURT

As part of the EC Respiratory Health Survey, the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in the city of Erfurt was investigated between September 1991 and November 1992. A random sample of adults aged 20 to 44 years (n = 4.992, 6.5% of the reference population) and 45 to 64 years (n = 1.299, 2.6% of the reference population) received a screening questionnaire. 74% of the younger age group and 81% of the older age group responded. The proportion of men who had an asthma attack in the 12 months prior to the study was 1.1% in the younger group and 1.7% in the older group. For women, the rates were 1.5% and 0.9% respectively. In the younger group, 1.5% of the men and 1.7% of the women were on asthma medication at the time of the survey, while in the older group, 1.9% of the men and 3.6% of the women were taking asthma medication. 12.8% of the younger men and 13.8% of the younger women responded positively to the question of ''wheezing during the last 12 months''. The proportion of older subjects responding positively to this question was 14.8% among men and 10.1% among women. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in the younger group was 13.4% for men and 13.3% for women and in the older age group 8.6% and 8.0% respectively. In the younger age group, a higher proportion of women than of men took asthma medication and experienced asthma attacks. No difference was found in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis between men and women. A gender difference in the age-specific prevalence of respiratory symptoms, however, was observed. With increasing age men reported respiratory symptoms more frequently than women. This higher prevalence of symptoms in men may be due to more frequent smoking.