Trends in prevalence and risk factors of childhood asthma in Fuzhou, a city in Southeastern China.

UNLABELLED: Abstract Objective: The prevalence of asthma in children age 0-14 years in Fuzhou, a city in Southeast China, was 1.57% in 1990 and 3.28% in 2000. The aim of this study was to investigate the asthma prevalence and risk factors in children in the same city in 2010. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with a two-stage, clustered, stratified random sample design. Parents of 12235 children 0-14 years of age in Fuzhou were surveyed using a questionnaire. Children with history and/or symptoms of asthma were then interviewed by pediatricians in a nearby clinic to confirm the diagnosis of asthma, and a second questionnaire listing reported risk factors of asthma was completed by the parents in the clinic. RESULTS: About 11738 questionnaires were completed with a response rate of 95.9%. Among the responders, 648 children had history and/or symptoms of asthma but only 485 (4.13%) were confirmed with asthma. The prevalence was 1.83%, 7.64% and 6.27% in the age groups of 0-1 years, 3-4 years and 13-14 years, respectively. The most significant (binary logistic regression test) factors associated with asthma were presence of atopic or allergic diseases (OR=21.5, 95% CI: 12-38.5), family history of allergy or asthma (OR=29.4, 95% CI: 12.6-68.6), use of at least one course of antibiotics in the first year of life (OR=7.61, 95% CI: 3.4-17.06), supplementary protein feedings before 6 months (OR=1.90, 95% CI: 1.23-2.95). Natural ventilation at home (versus frequent use of air-conditioning) appeared to be a protective factor (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of asthma in childhood has increased significantly during the past 20 years in Fuzhou.

Tanshinone IIA attenuates ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in a murine model of asthma.

OBJECTIVES: Tanshinone IIA (T. IIA), one of the most pharmacologically active components extracted from Salviae miltiorrhiza, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant features. The aim of the present study is to investigate the benefit of T. IIA on asthma using a murine model of asthma induced by ovalbumin (OVA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male BALB/c mice were used in the present study. The mice were sensitized by OVA intraperitoneal injection on days 0 and 14, and received aerosolized OVA challenge for 30 min daily on days 21-23. T. IIA (10 mg/kg twice daily) intraperitoneal injection was performed on days 18-23. RESULTS: Treatment of T. IIA reduced the levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (P<0.05 for all cases). The OVA-induced elevation of total white blood cells as well as differential white blood cells in BALF and blood were inhibited by T. IIA (P<0.05 for all cases). Moreover, airway hyperresponsiveness was dampened in T. IIA-treated group (P<0.05). T. IIA inhibited the activation of nuclear factor-κB in asthmatic mice (P<0.05). The activity of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 was enhanced in T. IIA-treated group (P<0.05). T. IIA elevated the activities of heme oxygenase-1, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase (P<0.05 for all cases). CONCLUSION: T. IIA inhibits OVA-induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness. T. IIA is a potential therapeutic agent for asthma.

[Etiological analysis of the children with non-specific chronic cough in Fuzhou area of Fujian province].

OBJECTIVE: Chronic cough in children is a common pediatric symptom with complex causes and its diagnosis is difficult; chronic cough affects the life of children in both physical and mental health and also learning. Therefore this study aimed to investigate the causes of chronic cough in children in Fuzhou area of Fujian province. METHOD: Data were collected from 364 children with chronic cough who visited the asthma specialist clinic of Children's Hospital of Fuzhou, Fujian Province from March 2009 to April 2010. The diagnosis was made according to Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Cough in Pediatrics published in 2008. Among the patients, 241 were boys and 123 girls. The patients were divided into 3 age groups: group 1, 1 to 3 years old (infants and young children group, n = 75); group 2, 4 to 6 years old (pre-school group, n = 215); and group 3, over 7 years (school-age group, n = 74), the mean age was (4.8 ± 1.1) years (3 months to 14 years), course of the illness was (4.5 ± 1.8) months (4 weeks to 38 months). Mycoplasma pneumoniae was detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULT: The causes of chronic cough were as follows: 171 cases (46.98%) had cough variant asthma; 104 cases (28.57%) had upper airway cough syndrome; 58 cases (15.93%) had respiratory infections; 17 cases (4.67%) had gastroesophageal reflux; 3 cases (0.82%) had foreign bodies. Totally 9 cases (2.47%) had chronic cough associated with 3 causes; 56 cases (15.38%) had 2 causes and 299 cases (82.14%) had single cause. The main causes of cough in the group of pre-school children were cough variant asthma and upper airway cough syndrome. The proportion of the upper airway cough syndrome in school-age children group was the highest among the 3 age groups, which is flowed by cough variant asthma. CONCLUSION: The causes of chronic cough in children were cough variant asthma, upper airway cough syndrome, respiratory infections, cough after infection, gastroesophageal reflux and foreign bodies in Fuzhou area of Fujian province. Children with chronic cough in different age groups had different etiology, in about 18% of the children the etiology of chronic cough was associated with 3 or 2 causes, indicating that the causes of chronic cough in children are multifactorial.