Prevalence of bronchial asthma and allergic diseases among children

Abstract

Bronchial asthma (BA) and allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR) and atopic dermatitis (AtD) are the most common chronic diseases, the prevalence of which is growing among the child population with the urbanization and industrialization of society. These diseases place a heavy burden on patients, their families and society as a whole, which is associated with a chronic course, frequent exacerbations and the need for long-term therapy of these diseases. Traditionally, data on the prevalence of BA and allergic diseases among children are based on the results of the program «International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood», focused on school-age children 6–7 and 13–14 years. Standardized international epidemiological studies of the prevalence of BA and allergic diseases in preschool children have not been conducted and to date, few foreign data have been published demonstrating a high prevalence among children of this age. Studies on the epidemiology of asthma and allergic diseases among preschoolers in Russia are few. The purpose of this article is to systematize the currently available information on the prevalence of BA and allergic diseases among children. Data sources: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed database.