ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Asthma affects up to 33% of children in Latin American settings. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on access to and use of health services. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on asthma exacerbations, medical facility visits, and use of asthma medications in children. METHODS: We used data from a prospective cohort of 213 children aged 5-17 years in 3 Ecuadorian cities and analysed the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on asthma. Outcomes (asthma exacerbations, emergency room [ER] visits, planned and unplanned outpatient visits, and use of inhaled corticosteroids and Beta-2 agonists) were analysed using repeated Poisson counts (ie, number of events per participant before and during the COVID-19 lockdown). RESULTS: During compared to before lockdown: a) the number of asthma exacerbations remained constant (IRR, 0.87; 95% CI: 0.72-1.05; p = 0.152); b) outpatient visits (IRR 0.26, 95% CI 0.14-0.47, p < 0.001) declined 74% while ER visits declined 89% (IRR 0.11, 95% CI 0.04-0.32, p < 0.001); and c) there was no change in inhaled corticosteroids use (IRR 1.03, 95% CI 0.90-1.16, P = 0.699) while Beta-2 agonist use increased (IRR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10-1.58, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of Ecuadorian children with asthma, health services attendance decreased dramatically after COVID-19 lockdown, but asthma exacerbations and use of inhaled corticosteroids were unchanged. Future analyses will address the question of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on asthma exacerbations and control in this paediatric population.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases are under-investigated and overlooked health conditions in developing countries. We measured the prevalence of food allergy (FA), airborne allergic disease, and allergic sensitisation among adolescents living in 2 socio-demographically disparate regions in Ecuador. We investigated which risk factors are associated with these conditions. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involved 1338 students (mean age: 13 ± 0.9 years old) living in Cuenca (n = 876) and Santa Isabel (n = 462). History of allergic symptoms (noted by parents or doctor) to food, house dust mites (HDM), pollen, and pets were recorded. Sociodemographic characteristics, environmental exposures, and parental history of allergic disorders data were collected. Sensitisation to 19 food and 20 aeroallergens was measured by skin-prick testing (SPT). FA and airborne allergic diseases (to HDM, pollen, cat, or dog) were defined as a report of allergic symptoms noted by doctor, together with a positive SPT (wheal size ≥3 mm). Logistic regression models were used to identify environmental and parental factors associated with allergic conditions. RESULTS: FA was prevalent among 0.4% (95% CI 0.2%-0.9%), and food sensitisation among 19.1% of the adolescents. Shrimp was the most frequent food linked with FA and food sensitisation. Risk factors associated with FA could not be evaluated due to the low prevalence. Food sensitisation was higher among adolescents exposed to family smoking (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.14-2.34, p = 0.008) and those with parental history of allergic disorders (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.13-2.49, p = 0.01), but less common among adolescents owning dogs (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.41-0.84, p = 0.003).Airborne allergic diseases were prevalent amongst 12.0% of the adolescents (95% CI: 10.4-13.9, n = 1321), with HDM as the primary allergen (11.2%). Airborne allergic diseases were less common among adolescents with more siblings (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65-0.96, p = 0.02) and those who lived with farm animals in the first year of life (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95, p = 0.04), but, most common among adolescents with a smoking family (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.04-2.70, p = 0.03) and with a parental history of allergic disorders (OR self-perceived: 2.62, 95% CI 1.46-4.71, p = 0.001; OR diagnosed by a doctor: 4.07, 95% CI 2.44-6.80, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: FA and airborne allergies are less prevalent in Ecuador than in developed regions; there is a great dissociation between the prevalence of allergic disease and allergic sensitisation. Shrimp and HDM were the most prevalent allergens. Risk factors identified in this study to be related to allergic diseases should be considered by physicians, health practitioners, and epidemiologists in Ecuador.
