Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prevalence and impact of asthma in schoolchildren from the city of Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational and case-control study with children and adolescents between 7 and 15 years old, from public schools in Caxias do Sul, RS. The study is composed of two phases: Phase I analyzed the prevalence of asthma in the delimited population, investigating 1915 schoolchildren; Phase II quality of life questionnaires, asthma control and classification (for the asthmatic group), physical activity, school performance, pulmonary function tests and anthropometric measures were applied to 266 asthmatics and 288 controls. RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of asthma was 16.1%. In the comparison between asthmatics and nonasthmatics premature birth (p<0.001) and diagnosis of another chronic disease at birth (p<0.001) were found. Regarding pulmonary function, significant differences were found in the values between groups in FEV(1), FEV(1)/FVC and forced expiratory flow in the 25 and 75% (FEF(25-75%)), being that asthmatics presented lower values. Among asthmatics, 133 (50.8%) did not have the disease controlled. In the anthropometric variables, significant differences were observed, with higher values in controls, in the the waist-to-height ratio (p=0.009) and in the perception of health (p<0.001). Quality of life is lower in asthmatics in the physical well-being domain (p=0.001) and in the total score (p=0.016). The total school performance score did not present a statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of asthma is similar to that of other industrialized urban centers and may negatively affect some areas of the development of schoolchildren.