Asthmatics and ex-smokers respond early, heavy smokers respond late to mailed surveys in Italy.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Response to mailed epidemiological surveys has decreased in recent decades. Since subjects with respiratory symptoms are usually early responders to surveys performed in Southern Europe, this trend could bias prevalence estimates. The present study aimed at evaluating the impact of non-response bias on prevalence estimates of respiratory symptoms and smoking habits. METHODS: In 9 centres, participating in the Italian Study on Asthma in Young Adults (ISAYA), random samples of people aged 20-45 years were administered a mailed questionnaire between 1998 and 2000. Non-responders were contacted again first by mail and then by phone. Cumulative response percentage was 30.5%, 52.4% and 72.7% (18,873/25,969), respectively, after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd contact. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported current asthma, asthma-like symptoms, and chronic cough/phlegm was more than halved from the first contact (5.6%, 17.8%, 14.6% respectively) to the third contact (2.7%, 6.4%, 6.9%). This pattern was less pronounced when considering allergic rhinitis and past asthma, whose prevalence decreased, respectively, from 21.5% to 15.6% and from 3.5% to 2.6%. At the same time the proportion of current smokers increased from 29.2% to 38%, while the proportion of ex-smokers decreased from 16.5% to 10.1%. In a multinomial logistic model current asthma, asthma-like symptoms, chronic cough/phlegm and smoking habits, and to a lower extent past asthma and allergic rhinitis, were significant predictors of late response. CONCLUSIONS: In Italy when response percentage is low, the prevalence of current asthma, chronic cough/phlegm and ex-smokers is overestimated, while the proportion of current smokers is underestimated.

[Human risk factors and injuries due to road accidents: analysis of current data]. / Fattori di rischio umani e infortuni conseguenti agli incidenti stradali: analisi di dati correnti.

OBJECTIVES: several studies have shown that most road accidents are due to human factors, and that these are strongly linked to a drive's age and sex. The aim of this study is to test the role that some human factors play in road accidents by analysing current road accident data in the Province of Pavia, in Northern Italy. DESIGN: road accidents that occurred in 2004 were analysed by integrating the paper database of the vehicle licensing office, properly computerised, with the 911 database of the Province of Pavia. This study has been carried out by analysing 1.347 road accidents and the associated 2.908 drivers of motorised vehicles. SETTING: Northern Italy, the Province of Pavia. RESULTS: the death rate of drivers of 2-wheeled vehicles is almost nine times higher than that of 4-wheeled vehicles. Analysis shows that females are twice as exposed to road accidents than males; it also shows the benefits of extensive road education training and of being aged 30-64 and older. Drivers who have already been punished and have had their driving license scores reduced are likely to respond rapidly when in a dangerous situation and also to be without blame after an accident. Motorcycle riders are 25 times more likely to suffer serious injury than drivers of cars. Additionally, the risk of a woman being seriously injured is higher than for a man. CONCLUSION: females, young drivers and motorcycle riders who have not previously been penalised for a previous traffic violation have a higher risk of being seriously injured; females and motorcycle riders are also at greater risk of being seriously injured. We hope that this analysis will be used to improve preventative interventions for road accidents.r.

Asthma control in Europe: a real-world evaluation based on an international population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic evidence related to asthma control in patients from the general population is scanty. OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess asthma control in several European centers according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines and to investigate its determinants. METHODS: In the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II (1999-2002), 1241 adults with asthma were identified and classified into inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) users and non-ICS users in the last year. Control was assessed in both groups by using the GINA proposal (controlled, partly controlled, and uncontrolled asthma), and it was related to potential determinants. RESULTS: Only 15% (95% CI, 12% to 19%) of subjects who had used ICSs in the last year and 45% (95% CI, 41% to 50%) of non-ICS users had their asthma under control; individuals with uncontrolled asthma accounted for 49% (95% CI, 44% to 53%) and 18% (95% CI, 15% to 21%), respectively. Among ICS users, the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma showed great variability across Europe, ranging from 20% (95% CI, 7% to 41%; Iceland) to 67% (95% CI, 35% to 90%; Italy). Overweight status, chronic cough and phlegm, and sensitization to Cladosporium species were associated with poor control in ICS users. About 65% and 87% of ICS users with uncontrolled and partly controlled asthma, respectively, were on a medication regimen that was less than recommended by the GINA guidelines. CONCLUSION: Six of 7 European asthmatic adults using ICSs in the last year did not achieve good disease control. The large majority of subjects with poorly controlled asthma were using antiasthma drugs in a suboptimal way. A wide variability in asthma control emerged across Europe. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Greater attention should be paid to asthma management and to the implementation of the GINA guidelines.

Factors affecting adherence to asthma treatment in an international cohort of young and middle-aged adults.

BACKGROUND: A major reason of the poor control of asthma is that patients fail to adhere to their treatment. The aim of the study was to identify factors affecting changes in asthma treatment adherence in an international cohort. METHODS: A follow-up study was carried out by means of a structured clinical interview in 971 subjects with asthma from 12 countries who participated in both the European Community Respiratory Health Survey: ECRHS-I (1990-94) and ECRHS-II (1998-2002). Subjects were considered adherent if they reported they normally took all the prescribed drugs. A logistic model was used to study the adjusted effect of the determinants. RESULTS: The net change in adherence to anti-asthmatic treatment per 10 years of follow-up was -2% (95% CI: -9.5, 5.5), 7.5% (-2.6, 17.6), 15.0% (6.6, 23.5) and 19.8% (4.1, 35.5), respectively, in Nordic, Mediterranean, Continental and extra-European areas. Among the 428 non-adherent subjects in ECRHS-I, having regular consultations with health care professionals was the strongest predictor of increased adherence (OR 3.32; 95% CI: 1.08-10.17). Among the 543 adherent subjects in ECRHS-I, using inhaled corticosteroids significantly predicted a persistence of adherence (OR 2.04; 95% CI: 1.11-3.75). No effect of gender, age, duration of the disease, smoking habit and educational level was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the key role of doctors and nurses in educating and regularly reviewing the patients and support the efforts for an improvement of clinical communication.

[Preliminary analysis of indoor pollution from nitrogen dioxide in an area of Northern Italy]. / Analisi preliminare dell'inquinamento indoor da biossido di azoto in un'area del Nord Italia.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this work are to describe the annual mean concentration of NO2 and to identify the home features and "habits" of its occupants related to NO2 levels. Both indoor and outdoor NO2 concentrations were measured in 114 dwellings in Pavia (Northern Italy). DESIGN: The study is in the frame of European Community Respiratory Health Survey II. Data were collected in the period 2001-2002 during home visits by trained fieldworkers. PARTICIPANTS: 116 subjects gave the consent to home visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: NO2 concentration measured using passive samplers. RESULTS: Indoor NO2 concentration is in average 47.1 microg/m3 (+/- 24.5 microg/m3) and outdoor NO2 concentration is 44.3 microg/m3 (+/- 14.5 microg/m3). The gas oven is the only domestic gas appliance associate with high levels of NO2 when measuring in homes. The outdoor pollution affects NO2 indoor concentrations and contribute to store NO2 in homes. CONCLUSION: the study is the first step in the evaluation of NO2 exposure effect on respiratory health.

Poor control increases the economic cost of asthma. A multicentre population-based study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Up to now, few cost-of-illness (COI) studies have estimated the cost of adult asthma at an individual level on general population samples. We sought to evaluate the cost of current asthma from the societal perspective in young Italian adults and the determinants of cost variation. METHODS: In 2000, a COI study was carried out in the frame of the Italian Study on Asthma in Young Adults on 527 current asthmatics (20-44 years) screened out of 15,591 subjects from the general population in seven centres. Detailed information about direct medical expenditures (DMEs) and indirect costs due to asthma was collected at an individual level over the past 12 months. RESULTS: The mean annual cost per patient was EUR 741 (95% CI: 599-884). DMEs represented 42.8% of the total cost, whereas the remaining 57.2% was indirect costs. The largest component of DMEs was medication costs (47.3%; 23.0% was due to hospitalization). The mean annual cost per patient ranged from EUR 379 (95% CI: 216-541)for well-controlled asthmatics to EUR 1,341 (95% CI: 978-1,706) for poorly controlled cases that accounted for 46.2% of the total cost. Poor control, coexisting chronic cough and phlegm, and low socio-economic status were significantly associated with high DMEs and indirect costs. CONCLUSIONS: In Italy, asthma-related costs were substantial even in unselected patients and were largely driven by indirect costs. Since about half of the total cost was due to a limited proportion of poorly controlled asthmatics, interventions aimed at these high-cost patients could reduce the economic burden of the disease.

Prognostic factors of asthma severity: a 9-year international prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of asthma severity is poorly known. OBJECTIVE: To investigate prognostic factors of asthma severity. METHODS: All current patients with asthma identified in 1991 to 1993 in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey were followed up, and their severity was assessed in 2002 by using the Global Initiative for Asthma categorization (n = 856). Asthma severity (remittent, intermittent, mild, moderate, severe) was related to potential determinants evaluated at baseline and during the follow-up by a multinomial logistic model, using the intermittent group as the reference category for relative risk ratios (RRRs). RESULTS: Asthma severity measured at baseline was a determinant of a patient's severity at the end of the follow-up. At baseline, severe persistent had a poorer FEV1% predicted, a poorer symptom control, higher IgE levels (RRR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.38-3.06), and a higher prevalence of chronic cough/mucus hypersecretion (RRR, 4.90; 95% CI, 2.18-11.02) than patients with intermittent asthma. Moderate persistent showed the same prognostic factors as severe persistent, even if the associations were weaker. Mild persistent had a distribution of prognostic factors that was similar to patients with intermittent asthma, although the former showed a poorer symptom control than the latter. Remission mainly occurred in patients with less severe asthma and was negatively associated with a change in body mass index (RRR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.75-0.97). Allergic rhinitis, smoking, and respiratory infections in childhood were not associated with asthma severity. CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate and severe persistent asthma are characterized by early deterioration of lung function. High IgE levels and persistent cough/mucus hypersecretion are strong markers of moderate/severe asthma, which seems to be a different phenotype from mild persistent or intermittent asthma. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our results suggest that the evolution of asthma severity is to a large extent predictable.

Time trends in smoking habits among Italian young adults.

BACKGROUND: In most developed countries the prevalence of smoking habits is decreasing in men, while in women the prevalence seems to decline in Northern Europe but to increase in the Mediterranean area. The present research aims at assessing time trends in smoking habits in Italy. METHODS: In the frame of the Italian Study on Asthma in Young Adults (ISAYA) a random sample of the Italian population aged 20-45 years was administered a mailed questionnaire in 9 Italian centers between 1998 and 2000. Cumulative response was 72.7% (18873/25969). Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test were used to compare probability of remaining a life-time non-smoker across birth cohorts (1953-58, 1959-63, 1964-68, 1969-73, 1974-78). Probability to quit smoking was also evaluated among ever-smokers. RESULTS: Probability to persist as a non-smoker significantly increased across subsequent generations in both sexes. At the age of 20 years this probability amounted to 41.7% (95% CI 39.4-44.0%) in men and 52.7% (50.4-54.9%) in women born between 1953 and 1958, and it increased to 57% (54.8-59.1%) in men and 68.7% (66.6-70.7%) in women born in 1969-73, but no further decline in smoking habits was observed in the next birth cohort (1974-78). Also the probability to quit smoking significantly increased from the 1953-58 birth cohort to the 1969-73 one. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking has declined among Italian young adults of both genders. Further efforts are necessary to promote active anti-smoking campaign, especially among adolescents, which are at higher risk of starting to smoke.

Severity profiles of substance-abusing patients in Italian community addiction facilities: influence of psychiatric concurrent disorders.

Mental health and addiction services have traditionally evolved separately in many European countries, with policy reflecting this. Differences in severity profiles between users of the community addiction services with comorbidities of mental illness and substance misuse and those with substance misuse only were studied using a matched case-control study design, with regard to the main substance (opiates or cocaine) patients were dependent on. Patterns of substance abuse and diagnostic features were evaluated according to the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and DSM-IV. Mentally ill substance abusers are significantly more likely to have used amphetamines, inhalants and having been polydrug users. They are particularly impaired in medical and family/social relationships ASI composite scores, but less in drug use. Severity profiles and needs of dually diagnosed patients require assessment and treatment skills that should be provided through adequate links with mental health system.

Are car drivers holding a motorcycle licence less responsible for motorcycle--car crash occurrence? A non-parametric approach.

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the effect of a specific motorcycle licence, held by car drivers, in responsibility for motorcycle-car crashes. The data were provided by a multicentric case-control study (MAIDS) regarding the risk of crash and serious injuries of motorcyclists. A non-parametric method, classification and regression tree (CART), was used to accomplish the objective, and then compared to standard unconditional logistic regression. Drivers owning a motorcycle licence turned out to be less responsible for motorcycle-car crashes than drivers who do not have one; both types of analysis are consistent with this result. It is reasonable to assume that car drivers who hold a motorcycle licence have acquired more ability in riding and controlling two wheeled vehicles than drivers without a licence, and this may help them in predicting motorcycles manoeuvres.

Are the asthma guideline goals achieved in daily practice? A population-based study on treatment adequacy and the control of asthma.

BACKGROUND: The guidelines for asthma recommend that the use of anti-inflammatory therapy should be adapted to the severity of the disease. However, few data are available to assess the adequacy of the use of drugs and its influence on the control of asthma in 'real life'. METHODS: The adequacy of the current use of anti-asthmatic medication according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines was assessed in a random sample of 400 asthmatics identified in the frame of the Italian Study on Asthma in Young Adults. Asthma severity was assessed using the GINA criteria; accordingly, a patient was classified as receiving inadequate treatment if his/her current use of drugs was lower than that suggested by the guidelines for the corresponding severity level. The absence of asthma attacks in the last 3 months was used as an indicator of the disease control. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent of the patients had persistent asthma. Overall, 48% (95% CI 41.2-54.8) of persistent asthmatics were receiving inadequate treatment, and 66% (95% CI 59.5-72.4) had not used their medication daily over the past 3 months. Persistent asthmatics who were inadequately treated had a significantly greater frequency of asthma attacks (geometric mean ratio 3.7; 95% CI 2.1-6.6) than those using an adequate dose of medication. Mild and moderate persistent asthmatics using an adequate medication regimen reported a low number of asthma attacks (median 0). At the multivariate analysis, a good control of the disease was positively associated with an adequate dose of anti-inflammatory medication (OR = 2.2; 95% CI 1.1-4.5) and was negatively associated with a later onset of asthma (OR = 0.96; 95% CI 0.93-0.99) and severe asthma (OR = 0.37; 95% CI 0.17-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increase in the use of inhaled corticosteroids, half of the persistent asthmatics from the general population are using a medication regimen below their severity level. When the use of drugs follows the GINA guideline recommendations, a good control of asthma is also achievable in the daily management of the disease, particularly in the case of mild and moderate asthmatics.

Incidence of asthma and mortality in a cohort of young adults: a 7-year prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Few longitudinal data exist on the incidence of asthma in young adults and on the overall mortality risk due to asthma. A 7-year follow-up prospective study was performed to assess the incidence of asthma and mortality from all causes in a cohort of young adults. METHODS: The life status of a cohort of 6031 subjects, aged 20-44 years, who replied to a respiratory screening questionnaire between 1991 and 1992, was ascertained in 1999. A new questionnaire investigating the history of asthma was subsequently sent to the 5236 subjects who were still alive and residents in the areas of the study. 3880 subjects (74%) replied to the second questionnaire. RESULTS: The incidence of adult-onset asthma was 15.3/10,000/year (95%CI: 11.2-20.8). The presence of asthma-like symptoms (IRR: 4.17; 95%CI: 2.20-7.87) and allergic rhinitis (IRR: 3.30; 95%CI: 1.71-6.36) at baseline were independent predictors of the onset of asthma, which was more frequent in women (IRR: 2.32; 95%CI: 1.16-4.67) and increased in the younger generations. The subjects who reported asthma attacks or nocturnal asthma symptoms at baseline had an excess mortality risk from all causes (SMR = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.06-3.58) in the subsequent seven years. The excess mortality was mainly due to causes not related to respiratory diseases. CONCLUSION: Asthma occurrence is a relevant public health problem even in young adults. The likelihood of developing adult onset asthma is significantly higher in people suffering from allergic rhinitis, in women and in more recent generations. The presence of asthma attacks and nocturnal symptoms seems to be associated with a potential excess risk of all causes mortality.

Eating disorders and their correlates in high school adolescents of Northern Italy.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated eating disordered behaviours and life-habits correlated in a large sample of Northern Italian adolescents of both sexes. METHODS: The study had a cross-sectional design. 2595 students (2,146 responders; mean age 17.2 +/- 1.7 years) attending high schools in Savona (Italy) in April and May 2001 were sampled. To assess eating attitudes, the Inventory for the Screening of Eating Disorders (ISED) was self-administered. Inquiries regarding possible risk factors for eating disorders were also made: socio-economic status, body weight, smoking and alcohol drinking habits, illegal drugs use. RESULTS: Females scored significantly higher than males at ISED (13.4 +/- 7.7 vs. 7.6 +/- 5.8). 28.5% of females had a total ISED score above the cut-off point (18/19). Unhealthy eating behaviours were strongly associated with higher BMI, body image disturbance and illegal drugs use in both sexes; age had significant role only in males. No significant association between disordered eating behaviours and socio-economic status, smoking habit and alcohol consumption were found. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of eating disorders are quite spread in the Northern Italian female adolescents and associate with illegal drugs use. These data, with not negligible frequency of unhealthy eating behaviours and attitudes in males too, suggest that primary and secondary preventive interventions for teen-agers should be got ready.

[Surveying patients' and family members' satisfaction: the experience of the Mental Health Department in Savona]. / Rilevare la soddisfazione dei pazienti e dei familiari: l'esperienza del Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Savona.

AIM: To point out the degree of satisfaction of psychotic patients and their family members in relation to the assistance given by the four Outpatient Mental Health Services in the Savona Department. METHODS: patients with a diagnosis of psychosis were selected among those visited during the period from the 1st of January to the 30th of April 2002. VSSS-54 item, was utilized. RESULTS: The analysis, conducted on 301 patients and 149 family members, highlighted: 1) a substantially positive assessment of the Services 2) the patients and their family members quite agreed on the evaluation of the different areas of satisfaction 3) Strong points: all the operators' human and professional skills 4) request of a better knowledge of the Service's programmes and more information to the public opinion 5) request of more collaboration with family doctors and other specialists 6) The worst criticism: the Service's response to night and holiday emergency. CONCLUSIONS: The patients and their family members reacted positively to the survey, that created more resistance on the part of the operators. The survey is not to be considered the final objective, but the point of departure for a new form of collaboration between the users and the operators.

[Road safety in Italy: epidemiology of two-wheeled motor vehicles accidents. National statistics 2000]. / La sicurezza stradale: epidemiologia degli incidenti che coinvolgono ciclomotori e motocicli. Statistiche nazionali 2000.

OBJECTIVE: to describe road accidents occurred in Italy focusing, in particular, on two-wheeled motor vehicles. DESIGN: Analysis of road accidents based on current data referring to year 2000. SETTING: Italy. RESULTS: In Italy, 67,127 two-wheeled motor vehicle accidents occurred in 2000. Two crash types account for 75% of the accidents: side impact and front-side impact. Per one million kilometres travelled 0.4 cars and 1.3 two-wheeled vehicles are involved (0.7 motorcycles and 2.2 mopeds). In 2000 there were 1,229 deaths and 69,543 injured riders. Males up to forty years old are the most represented. The masculinity ratio presents a decreasing trend from motorcycles to mopeds and to cars both for killed people and for injured people. The lethality rate increases with age for all types of vehicles but for mopeds this trend is much more evident. Most of the accident occur in urban road while most of the deaths happen in extra-urban road. CONCLUSION: Mopeds and motorcycles, which are a small subset of all motor vehicles (approximately 20%), are greatly overrepresented in crashes. Considering the kilometres travelled, the risk to be involved in a crash for mopeds is estimated to be 32.6 times higher than the comparable risk for cars and for motorcycles it is 17 times higher. The risk of death for riders is two times the risk for cars.

Mortality due to sudden infant death syndrome in Northern Italy, 1990-2000: a baseline for the assessment of prevention campaigns.

The aim of this paper is to estimate the infant mortality rate and the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in Lombardy, Northern Italy, in the period 1990-2000 and to provide basic information for a subsequent comparison of the SIDS incidence before and after the risk-intervention campaign. A retrospective epidemiological study was carried out using all deaths of resident infants occurring up to 1 year of age as recorded by the health districts mortality registries of the Lombardy region, between 1990 and 2000. The infant mortality rate was 4.1 per 1000 live births, with a significant decreasing trend. This decrease is mainly due to the fall in mortality for congenital malformations and perinatal diseases. The SIDS incidence rate was 0.13 per 1000 live births; the annual incidence of SIDS during the study period decreased significantly by 60% from 0.20 to 0.08 deaths per 1000 live births (P = 0.001). When 'possible SIDS deaths', not directly labelled as SIDS, were also considered, the rate of SIDS was 0.54 per 1000 live births. The incidence of SIDS in Northern Italy appears much lower than anticipated. SIDS remains the single leading cause of death in the first year of life after the early neonatal period.

[Infant mortality and sudden crib death in Lombardy]. / Mortalità infantile e morte improvvisa in culla in Lombardia.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the infant mortality rate and the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which is not known in Italy. DESIGN: Retrospective mortality study using all deaths of resident infants occurring up to one year of age as recorded by the Italian Institute of Statistics, between 1994 and 1996. SETTING: Lombardy, Northern Italy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Infant mortality rate (deaths occurring in the 1st year of life), early neonatal mortality rate (1st-7th days of life), late neonatal mortality rate (8th day of life-1st month of life), post-neonatal rate (1st month-one year of life), and incidence of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). RESULTS: The infant mortality rate was 4.76 per 1,000 live births, with no significant differences among the three years and lower than the Italian rates. The SIDS incidence rate was 0.14 per 1,000 live births, and 0.39 per 1,000 live births when deaths not directly labelled as SIDS were considered. SIDS was the single leading cause of death in the first year of life after the early-neonatal period. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease of the infant mortality rate is due to the drop in mortality for congenital malformations and perinatal diseases. The incidence of SIDS in Northern Italy turns out to be low, while SIDS remains the single leading cause of death in the first year of life after the early neonatal period.

Is the prevalence of adult asthma and allergic rhinitis still increasing? Results of an Italian study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis has increased worldwide during the 1970s and 1980s. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at evaluating whether the increasing trend in prevalence persisted during the 1990s in the young adult Italian population. METHODS: In 1998 to 2000 a screening questionnaire was sent by mail to a general population sample aged 20 to 44 years; nonresponders were contacted again first by mail and then by phone, achieving a final response rate of 78.1% (6876 of 8800). Prevalence estimates, adjusted to correct for nonresponse bias, were compared with those recorded in Italy in 1991 to 1993 during the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, when response rate had been slightly higher (87.6%). Temporal variations in symptom prevalence were analyzed by a logistic regression model, controlling for sex, age, site of residence (urban vs suburban areas), season of response, response rate, and type of contact (mail vs phone). RESULTS: The prevalence of asthma attacks did not vary significantly from 1991 to 1993 (3.6%) to 1998 to 2000 (3.2%) (P =.188). The prevalence of asthma-like symptoms (wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath) tended to decrease in the age classes of 32.5 to 45 years, while increasing in the youngest age class (20 to 26 years). A clear-cut increase from 15.4% to 18.3% was observed for the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (P <.001), whereas the proportion of people under antiasthmatic treatment increased in suburban areas but not in urban areas (interaction time-site of residence, P <.001). CONCLUSION: Asthma prevalence has not increased during the last decade in Italy. The persistence of an increasing trend in allergic rhinitis prevalence deserves attention.

Asthma-like symptoms assessment through ECRHS screening questionnaire scoring.

The definition of asthma has always been a matter of discussion. The European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) is a multinational survey designed to compare the prevalence of asthma in subjects aged 20 to 44 years throughout European countries. In each center a representative sample completed a self-administered screening questionnaire composed of nine dichotomous items. We propose a method for constructing a score for the ECRHS screening questionnaire and we validate the method with reference to the clinical diagnosis available for the Italian centers. Clinical diagnosis was made by a group of medical experts after examining the responses to a standardized clinical interview, respiratory function tests, and allergy tests. Before constructing a summary score, the number of latent factors/dimensions explaining correlations among the observed items was recognized. We identified only one factor/dimension underlying the screening questionnaire, so a summary score was determined by the Homogeneity Analysis by Alternating Least Square (HOMALS). Using best Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) threshold the diagnostic test of the score had sensitivity and specificity of 75.1 and 80.1%, respectively. The method of scoring is easily reproducible, and has the advantage of optimizing information recoded by the questionnaire.