Bronchial asthma symptoms prevalence in scholar childhood in Naples

Aim. Few data are available on the bronchial asthma symptoms prevalence in the South Italy among scholar-childhood population. Aim of the study is to estimate the prevalence of bronchial asthma symptoms among children of 6-7 (elementary class II, EC) and the 13-14 years (III Junior High class, JH) in Casoria, a north peripheral city of Naples. Methods. A modified ISAAC questionnaire has been distributed to the scholar children of II EC and III JH classrooms on the entire territory of Casoria. To evaluate the rate of asthma symptoms control, we have selected the subjects who have answered at least to 1/8 questions in the first section of questionnaire (defined positive). Results. 1729/2044 distributed questionnaires have been collected and analyzed (89,5%). 10,3% of EC children and 10,7% of JH subjects reported the presence of asthma symptoms. The positive questionnaires percentages were 12.8 % in EC (86/667) and 12.5 % in JH group (145/1062). 212/231 (91.7 %) have received medical diagnosis of asthma (120 EC and 111 JH). 188/231 (81.3 %) were treated with anti-asthmatic drugs. The pulmonary function evaluation of positive questionnaire subjects 190/231 (90 EC and 100 JH) by spirometry showed 2 EC subjects with a moderate obstruction (50% ≤ FEV1 ≤80%). Conclusion. The scholar-children population in Casoria shows an asthmatic symptoms prevalence similar to ISAAC reports. The asthma symptoms pattern, indicated by positive subjects rate was higher than the Italian average. The use of questionnaire could be applied in the entire pediatric school-children of the city territory of Casoria.