Successful desensitization with chemotherapeutic drugs: a tertiary care center experience.

SUMMARY: Introduction.Hypersensitivity reactions to chemotherapeutic drugs are increasing all over the world, and desensitization to them has become the standard treatment approach. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of chemotherapeutic drug hypersensitivity reactions and the outcome of desensitization procedures. Methods. Between January 2017 and 2019, patients who have been desensitized to chemotherapeutic drugs were included retrospectively. Data were obtained from the medical records of the patients. Results. A total of 35 patients were evaluated; of whom 24 (68.5%) were female and 11 were male (31.5%). The mean age was 54.54 ± 13.39 (min-max: 41-69) years. Colorectal cancer was the most common malignancy (n:14, 40%). Desensitization was performed with oxaliplatin in 17 (48.5%), carboplatin in nine (25.7%), paclitaxel in four (11.4%), cisplatin in two (5.7%), irinotecan in two (5.7%), rituximab in two (5.7%), and docetaxel in one (2.8%) patients. Thirty four (97.1%) were successfully desensitized without any reactions. Anaphylaxis occurred during desensitization with rituximab and the procedure could not be completed. The reactions occurred during the first administration of the chemotherapeutic agent in five (14.2%) patients. Skin tests were performed on 26 (74.2%) patients. Skin prick and intradermal tests were positive in 7 (26.9%) and 12 (46.1%) patients, respectively. Conclusions. Desensitization is an effective and safe treatment approach for chemotherapeutic drug hypersensitivity and can be performed safely by observing general precautions to anaphylaxis.

Comorbid diseases in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, and asthma.

BACKGROUND: Asthma, persistent rhinosinusitis, and/or nasal polyposis accompanying non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) intolerance is defined as aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). Although the literature includes considerable data on comorbidities in asthma, data on comorbidities in AERD have not been previously published. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of comorbidities in AERD and compare the findings to those in asthmatic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records for 330 AERD patients that presented to our allergy clinic were reviewed. Patients with urticaria/angio-oedema type reactions to NSAIDs were included in the pseudo Samter's group (n=83) and 338 randomly selected NSAID-tolerant asthma patients constituted the control group. RESULTS: Gender, age at presentation, age at onset of asthma, and follow-up periods were similar in all groups. Hypertension (P=0.035), diabetes mellitus (P=0.323), gastro-oesophageal reflux (P<0.001), psychological disorders (P=0.099), obesity (P=0.003), and hyperlipidaemia (P=0.002) were significantly more prevalent in the asthma group. Interestingly, coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF) were more common in the AERD group (P=0.178); CAD/CHF was associated with AERD (OR: 4.5; 95% CI: 1.206-16.93). CONCLUSION: AERD and asthma are associated with several comorbidities. Even though systemic steroid dependency and severe asthma were significantly more common in the AERD group, comorbidities occurred more frequently in the asthma group. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to more clearly discern if the risk of CAD/CHF is increased in AERD.

Aspirin 300 mg/day is effective for treating aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

BACKGROUND: Aspirin desensitization (AD) treatment at doses of up to 1300 mg/day improves outcomes in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of aspirin 300 mg/day in the treatment of patients with AERD. METHODS: The study included 40 patients diagnosed in our clinic as AERD that were desensitized and treated with aspirin 300 mg/day between December 2005 and December 2012. Changes from the baseline status were analyzed at 1 year and at 3 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Of the 40 patients included, 24 (60%) were female and median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 45 (40-51) years. Median (IQR) duration of AD was 31.5 (10.5-48.5) months. In total, 29 patients continued treatment for at least 1 year and 18 patients for at least 3 years. The annual rate of use of systemic corticosteroid regimens, episodes of sinusitis, and surgery was significantly lower both at 1 year (P = 0.002, P = 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively) and at 3 years (P = 0.001, P = 0.03, and P = 0.002, respectively). Significant improvement was observed in the nasal congestion score (P = 0.01) and sense of smell score (P = 0.05) at 1 year and in the postnasal drainage score (P = 0.01) at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Daily treatment with aspirin 300 mg had beneficial effects in patients with AERD, especially for the control of upper airway disease.

Immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions to proton pump inhibitors: usefulness of skin tests in the diagnosis and assessment of cross-reactivity.

BACKGROUND: Data are limited about the value of skin tests in the diagnosis of proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-induced hypersensitivity reactions and the cross-reactivity between PPIs. We aimed to assess the role of skin testing in the diagnosis of PPI-related immediate hypersensitivity reactions and the cross-reactivity patterns among PPIs. METHODS: The study was designed in a prospective, national, multicentre nature. Sixty-five patients with a suggestive history of a PPI-induced immediate hypersensitivity reaction and 30 control subjects were included. Standardized skin prick and intradermal tests were carried out with a panel of PPIs. Single-blind, placebo-controlled oral provocation tests (OPTs) with the PPIs other than the culprit PPI that displayed negative results in skin tests (n = 61) and diagnostic OPTs with the suspected PPI (n = 12) were performed. RESULTS: The suspected PPIs were lansoprazole (n = 52), esomeprazole (n = 11), pantoprazole (n = 9), rabeprazole (n = 2), and omeprazole (n = 1). The sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of the skin tests with PPIs were 58.8%, 100%, 70.8%, and 100%, respectively. Fifteen of the 31 patients with a hypersensitivity reaction to lansoprazole had a positive OPT or skin test result with at least one of the alternative PPIs (8/52 pantoprazole, 6/52 omeprazole, 5/52 esomeprazole, 3/52 rabeprazole). CONCLUSION: Considering the high specificity, skin testing seems to be a useful method for the diagnosis of immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions to PPIs and for the evaluation of cross-reactivity among PPIs. However, OPT should be performed in case of negativity on skin tests.

The general characteristics of acute urticaria attacks and the factors predictive of progression to chronic urticaria.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of progression from acute urticaria (AU) to chronic urticaria (CU) remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the potential triggers of AU attacks and factors associated with their duration, as well as the factors which may be predictive of progression to CU. METHODS: The study included 281 AU patients (AU group). Data were obtained from 207 AU patients retrospectively and from 74 AU patients prospectively. The CU group consisted of 953 patients, whose data were previously published. RESULTS: According to the medical history, the most common potential triggers of AU attacks were drugs (38.1%); infections (35.2%); stress (24.7%); and foods (17.8%). Attack duration was shorter in cases in which food (p=0.04) or infection (p=0.04) was the suspected trigger. Patients with a history of rhinitis (p=0.04) and food allergy (p=0.04), and positive skin prick test results for pollens (p=0.02) and dog (p=0.02) also had attacks of shorter duration. Patients with asthma had attacks of longer duration (p=0.01). Based on history and/or provocation test results, the prevalence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug hypersensitivity (NSAIDH) was significantly higher in the CU group than the AU group (24.9% vs. 4.3%, respectively, (p<0.01)), as was antibiotic hypersensitivity (10.6% vs. 4.6%, respectively, (p<0.01)) and food allergy (18.3% vs. 3.9%, respectively, (p<0.01)). NSAIDH (OR: 7.97; 95%CI: 4.33-14.66; p<0.01) and food allergy (OR: 5.17; 95%CI: 2.71-9.85; p<0.01) were observed to be independent factors associated with CU. CONCLUSIONS: As NSAIDH and food allergy were associated with CU, their presence should be carefully evaluated in patients with AU in order to predict progression to CU.

The safety of codeine in patients with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug hypersensitivity: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Drug provocation testing should be performed before safely prescribing an analgesic for patients that are hypersensitive to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Whether or not the direct histamine releasing effect of codeine renders it useful in NSAID-hypersensitive patients is unknown. This study aimed to determine if codeine could be recommended as a safe treatment option for NSAID-hypersensitive patients without the need for oral drug provocation testing. METHODS: The study included NSAID-hypersensitive patients with and without concurrent asthma, rhinitis, and chronic urticaria that presented to the allergy clinic between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2010. Patient data were collected from the allergy clinic computer database. Patients challenged with codeine were included in the codeine group. The non-codeine group included those patients that were tested with analgesics other than codeine. RESULTS: In total, data for 1071 patients, of whom 301 were in the codeine group, were analysed. The reaction rate to codeine was 7.3% and when compared in pairs, the rate was significantly lower than to meloxicam and nimesulide (odds ratios=0.26-0.31, respectively). The reaction rate to codeine did not differ from that to benzydamine, rofecoxib, and paracetamol. Symptomatic dermographism was associated (p=0.009) with test positivity to any drug. CONCLUSIONS: Although, codeine was among the safest alternative drugs and none of the patients had an anaphylactic reaction to it, thus a challenge with codeine may be considered especially in patients with dermographism. The results of this preliminary study should be confirmed in a prospective study including a control group.

Determining safe alternatives for multidrug hypersensitive patients with the alternative triple antibiotic-analgesic test.

BACKGROUND: Drug provocation tests (DPTs) need technical equipment, staff and time. There are very few allergy centres performing DPTs in Turkey. Therefore many patients are referred to these centres. One day triple-double antibiotic or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) oral DPT for determining safe alternatives is safe, cost-effective and time saving compared to conventional one day one drug oral DPT. Our aim was to investigate the safety of antibiotic-NSAID oral DPT performed on the same day to find safe alternatives in multidrug hypersensitive patients. METHODS: Forty-two patients who had been diagnosed as having both antibiotic and NSAID hypersensitivity were enrolled to the study between 15 November and 15 July 2010. The reactions were urticaria and/or angio-oedema not including laryngeal oedema for all patients. Two antibiotics-one NSAID or two NSAIDs-one antibiotic triple test have been performed on the same day to study patients (n=22), while the control group (n=20) had taken drugs on three separate days. RESULTS: Only two patients had positive reactions during triple test and two patients had adverse reactions; one had gastric pain, one had nausea. Three patients in the control group had positive reactions. There were no significant differences between the two groups in frequency of adverse and allergic drug reactions (p>0.05). Sixty days were spent for the tests of the control group with only 28 days for the study population. CONCLUSION: Triple test performed with antibiotic and NSAID on the same day for determining safe alternatives for multidrug hypersensitive patients reporting non-life-threatening allergic reactions seems to be safe and time-saving.

Storage mite sensitisation is associated with early life village residence in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Storage mites (SMs) occur in house-dust and the rate of sensitisation to them is high. We aimed to investigate if past and current living conditions are associated with the risk of SM sensitisation. METHODS: In total, 321 patients (70% females) aged 33.6 ± 11.9 years (range: 14-68 years) were studied at our allergy unit between September 2009 and December 2010. Patients with persistent or intermittent rhinitis and/or asthma were included in the study. Skin prick tests (SPTs) for SMs (Lepidoglyphus destructor, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, and Acarus siro) and other common aeroallergens were performed. Demographic data and characteristics of the patients' homes were assessed via a questionnaire. RESULTS: In all, 102 (31.8%) patients were sensitised to ≥ 1 SM, of whom 43.1% were also sensitised to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Comparison between the SPT-negative group (n = 129) and the SM-positive only group (n = 33) showed that having lived in a village during the first years of life was associated with SM sensitisation. Current place of residence was not significantly associated with any of the study variables. CONCLUSIONS: Living conditions have been changing and SM sensitisation may be associated with a history of village residence. The high rate of SM sensitisation observed in the study population might indicate the necessity of including those mite species in SPT panels, but the clinical relevance of sensitisation remains unclear. The clinical importance of SM sensitisation in urban areas should be investigated further.

Prevalence and clinical features of pollen-food allergy syndrome in adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE: Pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) is an IgE-mediated allergic reaction to certain foods due to prior sensitization to pollen allergens. The data about the prevalence of PFAS in adults in Turkey is not sufficiently reported. Our objective was to investigate the frequency and clinical features of PFAS in adult patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 222 patients with SAR were enrolled in our outpatient allergy clinic at Hacettepe University, during a ten-month period. A questionnaire was used to evaluate patients and to categorize those who experienced obvious allergy symptoms consistent with PFAS. Atopy was assessed by a standard skin prick test panel including common aeroallergen extracts. RESULTS: Among 222 patients with a diagnosis of SAR, 31 had patient reported PFAS (31/222, 14%). Among them, 23 (74.2%) were females, and their mean age was 32.29±9.24 years. The most common symptoms were isolated oropharyngeal symptoms (58.1%), followed by urticaria (51.6%) after culprit food ingestion. The most frequent culprit foods were eggplant, walnut, kiwi, peach, and melon. The predominant sensitizing aeroallergen was grass pollen. CONCLUSIONS: PFAS can be frequently observed in adults who are followed up for SAR. The most frequently involved foods are eggplant, walnut, kiwi, peach, and melon in Ankara Province. The symptoms of PFAS are usually localized in the oropharyngeal area and are self-limited.

Prediction of atopy by skin prick tests in patients with asthma and/or persistent rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Patient history gives important clues about the likelihood of atopy. However, the accuracy of assessment of atopy based on detailed allergy history is low. The objective of this survey was to determine the successful prediction rate of atopy by a questionnaire and the effect of various factors on the successful prediction. METHODS: A standard questionnaire including detailed allergy history was filled in by two experienced allergists for 169 patients having bronchial asthma and/or persistent rhinitis symptoms. Skin prick test (SPT) results were predicted based on the clinical data obtained by a questionnaire. Final diagnosis was made after SPT. Sensitivity and specificity analysis of SPT results prediction was investigated using two different cut-off values (3mm and 5mm) for positive tests, and factors associated with successful atopy prediction were analysed. RESULTS: SPT was predicted to be positive in 42.6% and was positive in 36.1%. Depending on SPT results with the cut-off value 3mm, prediction sensitivity was 77%, specificity was 65.3%, positive predictive value was 65%, and negative predictive value was 86%. Successful positive atopy prediction was associated with age; true negative prediction was also associated with age and high education. With the threshold of 5mm for a positive test, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predicted values were 91%, 61%, 14% and 99%, respectively. CONCLUSION: It seems that the success rate of detailed history is high for negative prediction. However, detailed history alone does not seem to be efficient for atopy prediction.

[ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) achievements in 10 years and future needs]. / ARIA (allerjik rinit ve astim üzerine etkisi) 10 yildaki kazanimlar ve gelecekteki gereksinimler.

Allergic rhinitis and asthma represent global health problems for all age groups. Asthma and rhinitis frequently co-exist in the same subjects. Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) was initiated during a World Health Organization (WHO) workshop in 1999 and was published in 2001. ARIA has reclassified allergic rhinitis as mild/moderate-severe and intermittent/persistent. This classification schema closely reflects the impact of allergic rhinitis on patients. In its 2010 Revision, ARIA developed clinical practice guidelines for the management of allergic rhinitis and asthma co-morbidities based on GRADE (Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation). ARIA has been disseminated and implemented in over 50 countries of the world. In Turkey, it is important to make a record of ARIA achievements and to identify the still unmet clinical, research and implementation needs in order to strengthen the 2011 EU Priority on allergy and asthma in children.

Does nasal hair (vibrissae) density affect the risk of developing asthma in patients with seasonal rhinitis?

BACKGROUND: Large particles entering the nose are collected by nasal hair present in the anterior nares. Increased hair density provides an improvement in the filtering efficiency of the nose, while reduced amounts of nasal hair cause a decrease in its efficiency. The amount of nasal hair can vary between individuals, which can make a difference in the filtering efficiency of the nose. Reduced filter function of the nose leads to increased exposure of the airways to allergens. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of nasal hair density on the risk of developing asthma in seasonal rhinitis (SR) patients. METHODS: A standard questionnaire was filled in, and physical examination and allergy tests were performed in 233 patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the amount of nasal hair [few (few or none), moderate and many]. The association between asthma and nasal hair density was assessed. RESULTS: Asthma was detected in 75 patients (32.2%), and of these, 45 (60%) also had pollen asthma. The rate of asthma was 44.7, 26.2 and 16.7% in the few, moderate and many groups, respectively (p = 0.002). Few nasal hairs significantly increased the risk of developing asthma [odds ratio (95% confidence interval): few, reference; moderate, 0.41 (0.21-0.78); many, 0.19 (0.06-0.55); p = 0.002]. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the amount of nasal hair providing a nose filtration function has a protective effect on the risk of developing asthma in SR patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on this subject in the literature.

Are chronic urticaria, analgesic intolerance and seasonal rhinitis markers of different severities and phenotypes of the asthma they accompany?

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease that presents with different clinical phenotypes. We aimed to compare the patients with asthma diagnosis alone with the patients, who, in addition to their asthma had accompanying analgesic intolerance (AI), chronic urticaria (CU) or seasonal rhinitis (SR) if there are any distinctions and specific characteristics of these defined patient groups. METHODS: Eighty-four asthma patients diagnosed with SR, 46 with CU, 75 with AI and 71 patients with asthma alone were enrolled to the study retrospectively. The reference group for the comparisons was the group with asthma diagnosis alone. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 37.2±13 (15-80) and 70.7% of them were females. Asthma patients with SR had a significantly earlier onset of asthma (age: 27.4±10.8 and 34.5±15.9; respectively, p<0.01), significantly better pulmonary function tests and were significantly more atopic (92.9% and 28.8%; p<0.001). Moderate-to-severe asthma significantly correlated with older age at the time of diagnosis, older age of asthma onset, higher body mass index, less atopy and fewer pollen sensitivity. Asthma severity of patients with SR was significantly milder than the reference group (OR: 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.8). Asthma with AI tended to be more severe although the relation was insignificant (OR:1.6 95% CI:0.8-3.5). CONCLUSIONS: Asthma patients with SR have significantly milder and earlier onset of asthma, better pulmonary function tests and are significantly more atopic while asthma with AI tends to be more severe. Asthma with CU does not show a specific phenotypic characteristic.

Multidrug-induced erythema multiforme.

Adverse skin reactions to drugs are frequent, with rates of reaction to many commonly used drugs exceeding 1%. We describe a 29-year-old woman admitted with a history of itching, rash, vesicles on her hands and soles, and edema on her tongue and oropharynx after trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, methenamine anhydromethylene citrate, piroxicam, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone intake. Erythema multiforme (EM) was diagnosed by skin biopsy after oral challenge with piroxicam. EM lesions reappeared after oral challenge with levofloxacin. Although EM is quite common with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and there are some reports of EM appearing after intake of ciprofloxacin, it has rarely been attributed to piroxicam and no reports have identified levofloxacin as a cause.

Anaphylactic reaction to drugs commonly used for gastrointestinal system diseases: 3 case reports and review of the literature.

Proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists, which are commonly used to treat peptic ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux diseases, are associated with a low incidence of adverse reactions. We report 3 cases of anaphylactic reactions induced by lansoprazole or ranitidine diagnosed in a population of 8304 first-referral patients over a 13-year period. Cutaneous sensitivity to famotidine, ranitidine, omeprazole, pantoprazole, and lansoprazole was evaluated by skin prick tests with a concentration of 10 mg/mL (at 1:1000, 1:100, 1:10 and 1:1 dilutions), and if they were negative, intradermal skin tests were performed with the same dilutions of the extracts. Single-blind, placebo-controlled oral provocation tests were performed with lansoprazole, omeprazole, famotidine, and ranitidine in 2 cases. One case involved anaphylaxis during an oral provocation test with lansoprazole, and 2 cases were anaphylactic reactions to ranitidine. In both cases the skin test was positive for ranitidine and in 1 case an oral provocation test was also positive. The second patient refused that test. Cross reactivity to other H2 receptor antagonists was not demonstrated and a safe alternative drug was found for all 3 patients. Although incidences of anaphylactic reactions induced by proton pump inhibitors or H2 reactions are rare, they can be life threatening.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma due to environmental mineral fiber exposure in Turkey. Analysis of 135 cases.

We reviewed data from 135 patients with environment-associated malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) from the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. The most significant factors suggesting the diagnosis of MPM were the village where the patient resided and the typical presenting symptoms and signs of unilateral exudative pleural effusion associated with nonpleuritic chest pain. Computed tomography and ultrasonography were very useful for evaluating the extension of the tumor in the thoracic and abdominal cavities and chest wall. The tissue diagnosis was established by either thoracoscopy (39 percent) or pleural biopsy (39 percent) in the majority of the cases. The median survival after diagnosis was 13.52 months for erionite-associated MPM and 21.56 months for asbestos-associated MPM. The actuarial survival curves for the fibrous minerals were significantly different for survival computed both from onset of the symptoms and after diagnosis. Medical or surgical treatment or both did not change the outcome of the disease.

Analgesic intolerance with or without bronchial asthma: is there a marker?

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of analgesic intolerance (AI) is less than 1% in the general population and about 10% in adult asthmatics, in whom the disease tends to be more severe. OBJECTIVE: A possible clinical-laboratory marker was sought that would differentiate patients who have AI with/without asthma, AI with asthma, and AI without asthma from the healthy subjects. METHODS: In the survey, 66 analgesic-intolerant patients (36 having asthma) were compared with 50 healthy subjects using a nickel patch-test, 65 patients (39 having asthma) with 55 healthy subjects for the presence of a genetic marker (A38G and A444C SNPs in CC16 and LTC4S genes), and 32 patients (14 having asthma) with 118 healthy subjects for presence and frequency of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). RESULTS: The mean age of the patients with AI with/without asthma and the healthy subjects for the nickel patch-test group, genetic marker group, and the HLA group was 39.8 +/- 10.5 and 33.3 +/- 11.1, 41.5 +/- 11.6 and 38.1 +/- 13.4, and 39.4 +/- 12.5 and 41 +/- 2.6, respectively. The frequency of the females in the same groups, in the same order, was 72.7% and 54%, 81.5% and 62%, and 71.9% and 59.3%, respectively. The frequency of positive nickel patch-test results and the A38G and A444C frequency in CC16 and LTC4S genes were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The frequency of HLA antigens HLA-A3, -B52, -DR16, -DQ5, -DQ8 and -DQ9 were significantly higher; and -A24, -B35, -B44, -DQ6 and -DQ7 were significantly lower in the AI group with/without asthma compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As a result, nickel patch-test positivity and the genes which we have studied do not seem to be markers for AI with/without asthma. However, there might be a relation between AI with/without asthma and the types of the HLA system. Further surveys are needed with other genes and possible markers.

Prevalence of asthma-associated symptoms in Turkish children.

The aim of the first national cross-sectional survey was to determine the prevalence of asthma-like respiratory symptoms and the associated risk factors among children aged 0-17 via interview with the parents by primary care physicians. They were selected through stratified two-stage cluster probability sampling in urban and rural parts of randomly selected 27 of 81 administrative districts in Turkey. Data was collected for 46,813 children (23,512 males and 23,301 females) of whom 66 percent resided in urban areas. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was 0.7 percent. The lifetime and current (last 12 months) prevalences were 14.7 percent and 2.8 percent for asthma, and 15.1 percent and 3.4 percent for wheezing respectively. The presence of personal atopy and history of family atopy were the most significant risk factors for current prevalences of wheezing, and asthma [adjusted Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were 6.2 (CI=4.0-9.5) and 1.8 (CI=1.3-2.4) for wheezing, and 8.5 (CI=5.6-12.9) and 1.9 (CI=1.4-2.5) for asthma, respectively]. Though there were no significant differences among those residing in urban versus rural areas regarding the current prevalences of asthma and wheezing, those living in coastal areas had considerably higher current prevalences than those inland (OR=2.6, CI=1.9-3.5 for wheezing, and OR=2.3, CI=1.7-3.1 for asthma). Residence in northern Turkey appeared to be a significant risk factor for wheezing (OR=1.9, CI=1.4-2.5), and children resident in southern Turkey exhibited the highest risk for occurrence of asthma (OR=1.5, CI=1.1-2.0) compared with eastern Turkey. In conclusion, the respiratory symptoms associated with asthma were an important cause of morbidity in childhood in Turkey. The discrepancy between prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma and lifetime and/or current asthma prevalence figures may reflect the reluctancy of both physicians and parents to diagnose this condition. Besides strongest associations with personal atopy and atopic heredity, there were significant differences in prevalence rates between children residing in different regions, supporting the role of environmental factors.