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Canadian asthma rates among world's highest

The prevalence of asthma is increasing in industrialized countries and current understanding implicates both genetics and environmental factors.

In the first-ever Canadian study on asthma prevalence among adults, Dr. Jure Manfreda and colleagues found rates varied significantly among 6 Canadian sites, suggesting environmental influences may be responsible for the higher rates in some areas.

Dr. Manfreda and colleagues used a standardized questionnaire from a recent European study to examine the variability in prevalence rates of asthma symptoms, attacks and medication use among 18 616 people aged 20-44 years in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Montreal, Halifax and Prince Edward Island.

The reported prevalence rates varied significantly between the sites; for example, the rate of wheezing varied from 21.9% to 30.4% for men and from 24.0% to 35.2% for women.

p. 995 Prevalence of asthma symptoms among adults aged 20-44 years in Canada Contact: Dr. Jure Manfreda, Department of Medicine, Respiratory Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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