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Evidence For Increase In Asthma Dubious -- Study LONDON -- June 20, 1997 -- The widespread belief that asthma is increasing in industrialised societies, especially among children, may be based on inaccurate information, says a paper in this week's British Medical Journal (BMJ). The authors reviewed 16 studies of the prevalence of asthma in children and young adults from six different countries. All studies showed an apparent increase over time in asthma and wheezing. Before concluding that real increases in obstructive lung disease among children and young people have taken place, say the authors, a critical look at the data is needed. In the case of asthma they say that the apparent increase in incidence may well be due to greater awareness among parents, or to changes in doctors' diagnosis patterns. As for wheezing, they wonder whether the everyday use of this term has been constant over time, and whether the tolerance of mild respiratory symptoms is lower than it used to be. The authors welcome new epidemiological studies which include standardised questions on severity of symptoms and objective measurements. "Until such studies have been performed on more than one occasion in the same population we believe that the evidence for an increasing trend in obstructive lung disease among children and young adults is weak," they conclude. E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version