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Previous Volume 355:2226-2235 November 23, 2006 Number 21 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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The prevalence and incidence of asthma are very high in the Western world. There is widespread concern that the prevalence of asthma is still rising in developed countries, but the economic and humanitarian effects of asthma are probably greater in the developing world, where the prevalence is also rising. Primary prevention strategies to combat the asthma epidemic are therefore urgently sought, but they must be based on a sound understanding of the various determinants of the onset of asthma. In this synopsis of the temporal trends and determinants of asthma and associated features such as atopy, we seek to provide . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Time Trends

Diagnosis of Asthma

Symptoms of Asthma

Assessment of Asthma in Epidemiologic Studies

Airway Hyperresponsiveness

Atopy

Environmental Determinants of Asthma

Exposure to Tobacco Smoke

Exposure to Air Pollution

Exposure to Allergens

Obesity and Diet

Exposure to Infections

Exposure to Microbial Substances in the Environment

Synopsis of Findings

Conclusions and Practical Implications

Source Information

From University Children's Hospital, Munich, Germany.

Address reprint requests to Dr. von Mutius at University Children's Hospital, Lindwurmstr. 4, D-80337 Munich, Germany, or at erika.von.mutius@med.uni-muenchen.de.

Related Letters:

The Asthma Epidemic
Kuschner W. G., Eder W., Ege M. J., von Mutius E.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2007; 356:1073, Mar 8, 2007. Correspondence

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