Faculty of Medicine

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    Item type:Publication,
    Overweight hypothesis in asthma and eczema in young adolescents
    (Elsevier BV, 2006)
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    Stavric, Katerina
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    Seckova, Lidija
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    Kimovska, Milica
    BACKGROUND: A positive association between body mass index (BMI) and allergic diseases has recently been suggested; however the sex-dependence of this association remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between BMI and asthma and eczema, as well as its sex-dependence in young adolescents. METHODS: Self-reported data obtained through the standardized International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Three written questionnaires of 2926 young adolescents aged 13-14 years old from randomly selected schools in Skopje (Republic of Macedonia) were used. The BMI for each individual was calculated and used-both unadjusted and adjusted for confounding factors-as a variable for analysis. The international cut-off points for BMI for overweight and obesity by sex and age were used. Because of the very low prevalence of obesity (1.5 %), obese respondents were included in the overweight group. The data were statistically analyzed by the chi-square test, the t-test for independent samples and odds ratios (OR, 95 % CI) in binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Being overweight was significantly associated with an increased risk of having a dry night cough without a cold or chest infection (adjusted OR: 1.54; 95 % CI: 1.09-2.16; p = 0.01) and with having had self-reported asthma at some time (adjusted OR: 2.36; 95 % CI: 1.02-5.44; p = 0.04) in boys only. A significant association between overweight and other symptoms of asthma or atopic eczema was not established. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a male-specific positive association between overweight and a current dry night cough and having received a diagnosis of asthma at some time. No association was found with other asthma symptoms or atopic eczema in young adolescents.
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    Item type:Publication,
    Acetaminophen intake and risk of asthma, hay fever and eczema in early adolescence
    (2007-09)
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    Stavric, Katerina
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    Seckova, Lidija
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    Kimovska, Milica
    A positive association between acetaminophen intake and allergic diseases has recently been reported in developed countries with impaired oxidant/antioxidant balance and promotion of atopy as proposed underlying mechanisms. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between acetaminophen intake and asthma, hay fever, and eczema in The Republic of Macedonia as a country with acetaminophen intake not physician-controlled, high passive smoke exposure and dietary antioxidant intake, and moderately low prevalence of allergic diseases. Self-reported data obtained through the standardized International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase Three written questionnaires of 3026 adolescents aged 13/14 years from randomly selected schools in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, were used. The frequency of current acetaminophen intake--both unadjusted and adjusted for confounding factors--was correlated to current and ever-diagnosed asthma, hay fever and eczema by odds ratios (OR, 95% CI) in binary logistic regression. Use of acetaminophen at least once monthly increased the risk of current wheeze (adjusted OR 2.04, 1.31-3.20 p = 0.002), asthma 'ever' (adjusted OR 2.77, 1.06-7.26 p=0.039), current allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (adjusted OR 2.95, 1.79-4.88 p=0.000) and hay fever 'ever' (adjusted OR 2.25, 1.36-3.70 p=0.002). A significant association between frequent acetaminophen intake and atopic eczema and also between infrequent acetaminophen intake and investigated allergic diseases was not established. The findings suggest an increased risk of asthma and hay fever, but not atopic eczema associated with frequent acetaminophen use in a developing country.