RISK FACTORS AND ASTHMA

<p>Asthma is one of the oldest diseases although it's etiopathogenesis has been explained in more details recently. It is very commin in the general population, and especially in children's population. Lately, the rising trend of asthma is the result of the increased exposure of children to unfavourable environmental factors such as air pollutants and "new" allergens in the course of 20 to 30 years. Asthma is multifactorial disease, the interaction of many factors is responsible for its inception and deterioration. Our research included 95 children having allergic asthma and 40 children having nonallergic asthma. All examinees were interviewed by means of epidemiological questionnaire on risk factors. In that way, basic demographic data, data concerning predisposing, causal and contributing risk factors for asthma inception were gathered. The average age of children having allergic asthma was 11.18 years, and the ones having nonallergic asthma were 14.25 years. In regard to gender structure of those having asthma, asthma is more common in the case of male population (65%). The risk for allergic asthma inception is increased by air pollutants, respiratory infections, and increased level of serum IgE. The biggest relative risk is found for the increased levels of serum IgE (OP=5.839), allergy to medicines. Those are variables which increase the risk for allergic asthma inception. The above mentioned variables are predicative factors for atopy inception.</p>