[The prevalence of bronchial asthma in 13- to 14-year-old schoolchildren in the city of Bistriţa].

Asthma is a major worldwide public health problem, with a prevalence in children which varies in different geographical areas from 0 to 30%. The true prevalence of the disease is not known exactly due to the lack of consensus of its definition and because the different methods used by the studies for obtaining epidemiological data. The authors study the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren aged 13-14 years, from Bistriţa, using the ISAAC standardised methodology, world-wide accepted. A total number of 889 schoolchildren aged 13-14 years from local schools, were enrolled in the study, the sample representing 63.67% of all 1396 schoolchildren of the same age registered in the 1996/1997 school year in Bistriţa. The first step consisted of completing a questionnaire about asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema. Seventy-five (8.43%) schoolchildren gave positive response to asthma and asthma associated symptoms, with a prevalence of 7.43% in boys (33 from the total of 444) and 9.43% in girls (42 of 445). In the second step 61 schoolchildren of those who gave positive responses to the questionnaires about asthma-wheezing, representing 81.33% of the total number of 75, were complex examined (history and physical examination, respiratory function and allergological tests). The following results were obtained by correlation of questionnaires and complex examinations: 17 subjects known with asthma before completing the questionnaire, 1 with probable asthma and 21 with certain asthma. Those 39 children represent 4.38% of the total number of schoolchildren who had been examined, with a gender rate of 19 boys (4.27%) and 20 girls (4.49%). In conclusion, the estimated asthma prevalence among 13-14 years old schoolchildren from Bistriţa is 4.38%, with a similar gender rate. The prevalence data found for 13-14 years old schoolchildren in Bistriţa are comparable to those made in other geographical areas in Romania, and to those reported by former socialist countries from Eastern Europe.