[Asthma and the environment in the Lagunera district]. / Asma y medio ambiente en la Comarca Lagunera.

AIMS: The characteristics and real dimension of the environmental problems are frequently unknown. These results in a poor knowledge about health impact and deficient planning of the measures required for their protection. Asthma is a prior health problem at Comarca Lagunera. OBJECTIVE: The analysis of environment characteristics that could affect its presentation is the objective of this paper. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We took information form several official bureaus and regional records. It identified that the coexistence of some factors, like regional weather characteristics, with extreme temperature and frequent dust storm, growing deforest, dominant flora and acute and chronic contamination by particulates material, mainly at urban areas, could explain the epidemiological profile of the disease in this urban area so an interdisciplinary participation is required for solving this problem. RESULTS: In the Comarca Lagunera, several factors coexist which precipitate symptoms in asthmatic subjects: climatological features which favor the inflammatory process and increase susceptibility to respiratory tract infections which can set off asthmatic crises. CONCLUSION: The epidemiological behavior os asthma in this regions may be associated with its climatological characteristics.

[Cutaneous hypersensitivity in patients with bronchial asthma in La Comarca Lagunera]. / Hipersensibilidad cutánea en pacientes con asma bronquial de La Comarca Lagunera.

A cross-sectional study was done to determine the frequency of cutaneous sensibility to aeroallergens and variations related to residence area. In a period of time from June 1994 to June 1995, we analyzed 101 patients residents in the Comarca Lagunera diagnosed as having allergic bronchial asthma. The patients were highly sensitive to pollen grains: Cynodon Dactylon (70%), Chenopodium (69%), Rusian Thistle (63%), Rye Grass (61%), Zea Maiz and Prosopis (57%). The sensitivity to molds was less: Candida (22%), Helmintosporium (18%) and Cephalosporium (16%). House Dust was positive in 55% and Dermatophagoides in 35%. Cotton hypersensitivity was poor (7%). There were not differences in cutaneous reactivity related with residence area.