Prevalence of rhinitis and related-symptoms in schoolchildren from different cities in Brazil.

By using the standard written questionnaire (WQ), designed for the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) we determined the prevalence of rhinitis and its related-symptoms, in Brazilian children and adolescents, living in different cities of the country. The WQ was answered by the parents of 11,403 children aged 6-7 years from five Brazilian cities: Porto Alegre (South, N = 2,846), São Paulo (Southeast, N = 3,005) Uberlândia (Southeast, N = 2,991), Itabira (Southeast, N = 1,151) and Recife (Northeast, N = 1,410). The WQ was also applied to 20,587 adolescents (13-14 years old) living in: Porto Alegre (South, N = 3,195), Curitiba (South, N = 3,004), São Paulo (Southeast, N = 3,008), Uberlândia (Southeast, N = 2,998), Itabira (Southeast, N = 2,134), Salvador (Northeast, N = 3,162) and Recife (Northeast, N = 3,086). The mean response rates were 75% and 95%, for the 6-7 year-old children and for the adolescents, respectively. The data was transcribed to a database (Epi-Info) and analyzed regarding the answers to questions of rhinitis module. The mean prevalence of rhinitis (affirmative response to question 2) was 26.6% and 34.2% in the groups of 6-7 and 13-14 year-old, respectively. Applying the criteria that evaluate the association between nasal and ocular symptoms (affirmative response to question 3) the mean prevalence of allergic rhinitis were 12.8% for the 6-7 year-old children and 18.0% for the adolescents. In conclusion, the prevalence of rhinitis and its related symptoms among children and adolescents living in different Brazilian cities was as high as the prevalence observed in other areas of the world.

Prevalence of rhinitis and related-symptoms in schoolchildren from different cities in Brazil

By using the standard written questionnaire (WQ), designed for the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) we determined the prevalence of rhinitis and its related-symptoms, in Brazilian children and adolescents, living in different cities of the country. The WQ was answered by the parents of 11,403 children aged 6-7 years from five Brazilian cities: Porto Alegre (South, N = 2,846), São Paulo (Southeast, N = 3,005) Uberlândia (Southeast, N = 2,991), Itabira (Southeast, N = 1,151) and Recife (Northeast, N = 1,410). The WQ was also applied to 20,587 adolescents (13-14 years old) living in: Porto Alegre (South, N = 3,195), Curitiba (South, N = 3,004), São Paulo (Southeast, N = 3,008), Uberlândia (Southeast, N = 2,998), Itabira (Southeast, N = 2,134), Salvador (Northeast, N = 3,162) and Recife (Northeast, N = 3,086). The mean response rates were 75 % and 95 %, for the 6-7 year-old children and for the adolescents, respectively. The data was transcribed to a database (Epi-Info) and analyzed regarding the answers to questions of rhinitis module. The mean prevalence of rhinitis (affirmative response to question 2) was 26.6 % and 34.2 % in the groups of 6-7 and 13-14 year-old, respectively. Applying the criteria that evaluate the association between nasal and ocular symptoms (affirmative response to question 3) the mean prevalence of allergic rhinitis were 12.8 % for the 6-7 year-old children and 18.0 % for the adolescents. In conclusion, the prevalence of rhinitis and its related symptoms among children and adolescents living in different Brazilian cities was as high as the prevalence observed in other areas of the world (AU)

La prevalencia de rinitis y de sus síntomas en niños y adolescentes brasileños, que viven en diferentes ciudades, fue determinada por el cuestionario escrito (CE), desarrollado por el International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC). El CE fue respondido por los padres de 11.403 niños con edad entre los 6-7 años, en cinco ciudades brasileñas: Porto Alegre (Sur, N = 2.846), São Paulo (Sudeste, N = 3.005), Uberlândia (Sudeste, N = 2991), Itabira (Sudeste, N = 1.151) e Recife (Nordeste, N = 1.410).En la faja de edad de 13-14 años el CE fue respondido por 20.587 adolescentes que vivían en: Porto Alegre (Sur, N = 3.195), Curitiba (Sur, N = 3.004), São Paulo (Sudeste, N = 3.008), Uberlândia (Sudeste, N = 2.998), Itabira (Sudeste, N = 2.134), Salvador (Nordeste, N = 3.162) e Recife (Nordeste, N = 3.086).La tasa media de respuestas fue un 75 por ciento para los niños menores y un 95 por ciento para los adolescentes. Los datos fueron transcriptos a una base de datos (Epi-info) y el análisis estadístico fue sobre el modulo rinitis del CE ISAAC. La prevalencia media de rinitis (sí a la pregunta 2) fue 26,6 por ciento y 34,2 por ciento en los grupos de 6-7 y 13-14 años respectivamente. Utilizándose el criterio que evalúa la asociación entre síntomas nasales y oculares (sí a la cuestión 3), la prevalencia media de rinitis alérgica fue de un 12,8 por ciento para los niños de 6-7 años y de un 18,0 por ciento para los adolescentes. En conclusión, la prevalencia de rinitis y síntomas relacionados en niños y adolescentes que viven en diferentes ciudades brasileñas fue tan elevada como la que se ha observado en otras partes del mundo (AU)