Bronchial asthma and wheeze in a desert country

A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted among school children (3300), aged 7-12 years, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the period January, 1988-February, 1990. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between asthma, allergic rhinitis, wheeze and eczema among Saudi school children. The relationship between pet-ownership and respiratory allergy was also studied. Detailed information was collected about wheeze and asthma in 3041 children and history of asthma and allergic rhinitis in their parents. The population sample had a high prevalence rate of diagnosed asthma (6.8%), history of wheeze (10.5%), allergic rhinitis (17.9%), and eczema (10.8%). Allergic rhinitis was the most frequently seen respiratory illness when compared to other respiratory symptoms. The prevalence rate of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema among parents reflected the same pattern as that seen in the children. Prevalence rate for asthma in children with pets is twice that of children without pets (OR: 2.4; 95%, Cl: 1.8-3.1). The odds of having chronic cough (OR: 3.9; 95% Cl: 2.8-5.2), chronic wheeze (OR: 4.2; 95%, 3.3-5.4), allergic rhinitis (OR: 8.0; 95% Cl: 6.3-10.3) and eczema (OR: 2.8: 95 Cl: 2.1-3.7) was higher in children with pets than in children without pets. The present study revealed that pet-ownership was associated with increased respiratory symptoms.