[Prevalence and control of asthma in young children in France]. / Prévalence et contrôle de l'asthme chez le jeune enfant en France.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Few data on regional variations in asthma prevalence are available in France. METHODS: The study was carried out during the academic year 2005-2006 in a random sample of around 20,000 children in the last year of nursery school. The lifetime prevalence of asthma and the preceding year prevalences of asthma-like symptoms and treatment for wheezing or asthma attacks were estimated by region. RESULTS: Overall, the lifetime prevalence of asthma was 9.8 % and the past-year prevalence of wheezing was 10.7 %. An increasing trend in prevalence was observed from Eastern to Western France and in overseas territories. The regional variations in past-year prevalence of wheezing remained when adjusting for gender, family structure and the number of siblings. Among children who had wheezed or received a treatment in the past year, 42 % had experienced frequent or severe symptoms. CONCLUSION: Large regional variations in asthma prevalence among young children in France exist.