Phase II of the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood (ISAAC II): rationale and methods
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International comparative studies, investigating whether disease incidence or prevalence rates differ between populations and, if so, which factors explain the observed differences, have made important contributions to the understanding of disease aetiology in many areas. In Phase I of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), the prevalence rates of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema in 13-14-yr-olds, assessed by standardised questionnaires, were found to differ >20-fold between the 155 study centres around the world. Phase II of ISAAC aims to identify determinants of these differences by studying informative populations. A detailed study protocol was developed for use in community-based random samples of children aged 9-11 yrs. The study modules include standardised questionnaires with detailed questions on the occurrence and severity of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema, their clinical management, and a broad range of previous and current exposure conditions. In addition, standardised protocols were applied for examination of flexural dermatitis, skin-prick testing, bronchial challenge with hypertonic saline, blood sampling for immunoglobulin E analyses and genotyping, and dust sampling for assessment of indoor exposures to allergens and endotoxin. To date, ISAAC II field work had been completed or started in 30 study centres in 22 countries. The majority of centres are in countries that participated in International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase I and reflect almost the full range of the observed variability in Phase I prevalence rates.
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Large multinational studies in children and adults confirmed that asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases across the globe in all age groups and there is substantial variation in asthma prevalence worldwide.
“These studies confirmed that asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases across the globe in all age groups and there is substantial variation in asthma prevalence worldwide.”
From Epidemiology of Asthma in Children and Adults (2019) · cites this paper as [7]
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References 23 · Cited by 438
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- Group: B. Bjo ¨rkste ´n (Stockholm, Sweden), B. Brunekreef (Utrecht, the Netherlands), W. Cookson (Oxford, UK), E. von Mutius (Munich, Germany), D. Strachan (London, UK) and S.K. Weiland (ISAAC II Coordinator; Ulm, Germany). ISAAC II Coordinating and Data Centre: S.K. Weiland (Director), G.Bu ¨chele, P.Rzehak and G.Weinmayr (Dept of Epidemiology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany). Principal Investigators and Scientific Team: Tirana, Albania: A. Priftanji, A. Shkurti, J. Simenati, E. Grabocka, K. Shyti, S. Agolli and A. Gurakuqi; Po ˆrto Alegre, Brazil: R.T. Stein, M. Urrutia de Pereira, M.H. Jones and P.M. Pitrez; Bejing, China: Y.Z. Chen; Guangzhou, China: N.S. Zhong; Hong Kong, China: C. Lai (National Coordinator) and G. Wong; Pichincha province, Ecuador: P.J. Cooper and M. Chico; Tallinn, Estonia: M-A. Riikja ¨rv and T. Annus; Cre ´teil, France: I. Annesi-Maesano; Tbilisi, Georgia: M. Gotua, M. Rukhadze, T. Abramidze, I. Kvachadze, L. Karsanidze, M. Kiladze and N. Dolidze; Dresden, Germany: W. Leupold, U. Keil, E. von Mutius and S.K. Weiland; Munich, Germany: E. von Mutius, U. Keil and S.K. Weiland; Kintampo, Ghana: P. Arthur (deceased) and E. Addo-Yobo; Athens, Greece: C. Gratziou (National Coordinator), C. Priftis, A. Papadopoulou and C. Katsardis; Thessalonı ´ki, Greece: J. Tsanakas, E. Hatziagorou and F. Kirvassilis; Reykjavı ´k, Iceland: M. Clausen; Mumbai, India: J.R. Shah, R.S. Mathur, R.P. Khubchandani and S. Mantri; Rome, Italy: F. Forastiere, R. Di Domenicantonio, M. De Sario, S. Sammarro, R. Pistelli, M.G. Serra, G. Corbo and C.A. Perucci; Riga, Latvia: V. Svabe, D. Sebre, G. Casno, I. Novikova and L. Bagrade; Utrecht, the Netherlands: B. Brunekreef, D. Schram, G. Doekes, P.H.N. Jansen-van Vliet, N.A.H. Janssen, F.J.H. Aarts and G. de Meer; Hastings, New Zealand: J. Crane, K. Wickens and D. Barry; Tromsø, Norway: W. Nystad, R. Bolle and E. Lund; Almeria, Spain: J. Batlles Garrido, T. Rubi Ruiz, A. Bonillo Perales, Y. Gonzalez Jime ´nez, J. Aguirre Rodriguez, J. Momblan de Cabo, A. Losilla Maldonado and M. Daza Torres; Cartagena, Spain: L. Garcia-Marcos (National Coordinator), A. Martinez Torres, J.J. Guille ´n Pe ´rez, A. Pin ˜ana Lo ´pez and S. Castejon Robles; Madrid, Spain: G. Garcia Hernandez, A. Martinez Gimeno, A.L. Moro Rodrı ´guez, C. Luna Paredes and I. Gonzalez Gil; Valencia, Spain: M.M. Morales Suarez-Varela, A. Llopis Gonza ´lez, A. Escribano Montaner and M. Tallon Guerola; Linko ¨ping, Sweden: L. Bra ˚ba ¨ck (National Coordi- nator), B. Bjo ¨rkste ´n, M. Kjellman, L. Nilsson and X-M. Mai; O ¨stersund, Sweden: L. Bra ˚ba ¨ck and A. Sandin; Ankara, Turkey: Y. Sarac ¸lar, S. Kuyucu, A. Tuncer, C. Sac ¸kesen, V. Sumbulog ˘lu, P. Geyik and C. Kocabas ¸; West Sussex, UK: D. Strachan and B. Kaur; Ramallah, West Bank: N. El-Sharif, B. Nemery, F. Barghuthy, S. Abu Huij and M. Qlebo. Laboratories: Blood samples were analysed for serum IgE levels at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (B. Bjo ¨rkste ´n and M. van Hage-Hamsten). DNA analyses were performed at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK (W.
- Asher (Auckland, New Zealand), S. Montefort (Guarda- mangia, Malta), R. Beasley (Wellington, New Zealand), J. Odhiambo (Nairobi, Kenya), B. Fig. 2. -Location of study centres (&) at which International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase II fieldwork is ongoing or complete. Bjo ¨rkste ´n (Stockholm, Sweden), N. Pearce (Well- ington, New Zealand), B. Brunekreef (Utrecht, the Netherlands), C. Robertson (Parkville, Australia), W. Cookson (Oxford, UK), J. Shah (Mumbai, India), J. Crane (Wellington, New Zealand), A. Stewart (Auckland, New Zealand), P. Ellwood (Auckland, New Zealand), D. Strachan (London, UK), S. Foliaki (Wellington, New Zealand), E. von Mutius (Munich, Germany), U. Keil (Mu ¨nster, Germany), S.K. Weiland (Ulm, Germany), C. Lai (Shatin, Hong Kong), H. Williams (Nottingham, UK) and J. Mallol (Santiago, Chile). Module coordinators: ISAAC II modules have been developed by subgroups of members of the Steering Committee. Coordinators: M. Burr (addi- tional respiratory questions);
- G. Rose. The Strategy of Prevention. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1992.
- Pearce N, Sunyer J, Cheng S, et al. Comparison of asthma prevalence in the ISAAC and the ECRHS. Eur Respir J 2000; 16: 420-426.
- Authors
- Weiland, S. K., Björkstén, B., Brunekreef, B., Cookson, W. O. C., von Mutius, E., Strachan, D. P., & the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase II Study Group
- Affiliations
- Universität Ulm (DE)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Centre for Human Genetics (GB)
- St George's, University of London (GB)
- Venue
- European Respiratory Journal
- Publisher
- European Respiratory Society (ERS)
- Published
- 2004-09
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 406-412
- ISSN
- 0903-1936 (ISSN-L)
- 1399-3003
- OpenAlex
- W2118252995
- Cited by
- 438
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 14.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- European Respiratory Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Vårdalstiftelsen
- Wellcome Trust
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
- Hacettepe Üniversitesi
- Health Research Council of New Zealand
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Immunology and Allergy › Allergic Rhinitis and Sensitization
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Occupational exposure and asthma
- Keywords
- childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, asthma prevalence, allergic disease prevalence, cross-national comparison, skin prick test, bronchial provocation test, immunoglobulin E, endotoxin exposure, indoor allergens, dust sampling, genotyping, etiology
- MeSH terms
- Asthma, Bronchial Provocation Tests, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dermatitis, Atopic, Eczema, Humans, Immunoglobulin E, Surveys and Questionnaires, Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial, Skin Tests, Prevalence
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