BACKGROUND: Epidemiological surveys have shown that the prevalence of @entity565 in the Asian population is relatively low. Within the Chinese population, schoolchildren from Hong Kong were found to have the highest rate of @entity565 . OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of respiratory and @entity74 , and to assess the role of @entity402 in the development of @entity565 , in Chinese schoolchildren from Hong Kong, Beijing and Guangzhou. METHODS: Community-based random samples of schoolchildren aged 9-11 years from three Chinese cities (Hong Kong, Beijing and Guangzhou) were recruited for study using the International Study of @entity566 in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase II protocol. Subjects were studied by parental questionnaires (n = 10902), skin-prick tests (n = 3479) and skin examination (n = 3479). RESULTS: The prevalence rates of current wheeze, speech limiting wheeze, @entity7370 and @entity1909 were significantly more common in Hong Kong than in Beijing or Guangzhou. The @entity402 rate was also higher in Hong Kong (41.2%) than in Beijing (23.9%) or Guangzhou (30.8%). Atopy was strongly correlated with current wheeze (OR 7.74; 95% CI = 5.70-10.51). Subgroup analyses of @entity1 from Hong Kong revealed that @entity1 born in mainland China who had subsequently migrated to Hong Kong had a significantly lower rate of @entity56 and @entity402 than those @entity1 born in Hong Kong. CONCLUSION: Using a standardized written questionnaire along with a skin prick test and skin examination, we confirmed that the prevalence of @entity565 , @entity56 and @entity402 was highest in schoolchildren from Hong Kong. @entity1097 sensitization is an important factor associated with @entity565 in Chinese @entity1 .

Prevalence of respiratory and XXXX in Chinese schoolchildren.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children'] @entity7370 :: ('OMIM:613207', 'Disease') :: ['rhinoconjunctivitis'] @entity565 :: ('MESH:D001249', 'Disease') :: ['asthma'] @entity566 :: ('MESH:D006967', 'Disease') :: ['Asthma and Allergies'] @entity1097 :: ('MESH:C566404', 'Disease') :: ['Atopic'] @entity402 :: ('MESH:C564133', 'Disease') :: ['atopy'] @entity56 :: ('MESH:D004342', 'Disease') :: ['allergic diseases', 'allergic symptoms'] @entity74 :: ('MESH:D030342', 'Disease') :: ['atopic disorders'] @entity1909 :: ('MESH:D003872', 'Disease') :: ['flexural dermatitis']
@entity74 :: (MESH:D030342,Disease) :: ['atopic disorders']
