International study of asthma and allergies in childhood: Phase 3 in the Syrian Arab Republic

Abstract

The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood [‎ISAAC]‎ uses standardized symptombased questionnaires to describe the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children worldwide. Three governorates in the Syrian Arab Republic [‎Aleppo, Lattakia and Tartous]‎ participated in ISAAC phase 3 in 2001-03. Adolescents in the 13-14 year age group and parents of the 6-7-year-old children completed the questionnaire about asthma symptoms. The prevalence of current symptoms of asthma [‎wheezing in the last 12 months]‎ in different centres ranged from 4.7% to 5.7% for 6-7-year-olds and 3.9% to 6.5% for 13-14-year-olds. In 13-14-year-olds the prevalence of severe speech-limiting wheeze was 2.0%-3.5%, of rhinoconjunctivitis was 8.6%-14.6% and of eczema was 3.3%-4.2%