Journal: |
Journal of Medical Virology
MDPI
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Volume: |
89
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Abstract: |
The aim here was to study the possible environmental and dietary determinants of
asthma among school-aged children in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. In a cross-sectional study on
a representative sample in Najran in Southwestern Saudi Arabia using an Arabic version of the
modified ISAAC Phase III, parent-administered questionnaire data were collected. Skin prick tests
(SPTs) were performed. The study included 1700 school children, out of them 468 (27.5%) were
diagnosed with, cases of bronchial asthma and 20.8% (353) reported a 12-month nocturnal cough
(as a proxy of severe asthma). In multivariable analysis, the study identified the following risk factors
for having asthma or severe asthma: having dogs in the house, being male, being exposed to dense
truck traffic on the street, using wood as a cooking fuel, conducting vigorous exercise, consuming
eggs, consuming vegetables, having an allergic sensitization to dog hair, and being exposed to
Cladosporium, pigweed, and Bermuda grass. On the other hand, the following food stuffs were found
to be protective: seafood, fruit, and dairy products. Comprehensive school educational programs
for both children and their parents should be adopted to prevent the use of wood in cooking and
heating, to ensure that house pets are properly cared for, and to encourage proper dietary habits.
Physicians should be informed of the patterns of allergens in order to improve asthma diagnosis
and management.
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