Respiratory symptoms, lung function, smoking and allergy in a central australian aboriginal community
James A., Bowman J., Cookson H., Fritschi L., James C., Knight D., Lewis L., Mutavdzic S., Pearce-Pinto G., Ryan M., Ton SA., Verheijden M., Whittall D., Woods M., Musk AW.
Aboriginal Australians have lower levels of lung function than normal and greater rates of decline (Bremner et al. AJRCCM 1998;158:1724). We examined markers of respiratory disease in a central Australian aboriginal community and compared them with tropical aboriginal (TA) and nonaboriginal (NA) communities Questionnaires, FEV1, AHR (methacholine) and prick skin tests were performed on 86 of 169 subjects 10 yrs of age registered in the community. Results: Children (< 18 years) Adults ( > 18 years) females u H males (151 females (34) males 126) Age,yrs 14 ± 2 13 ± 3 38 ± 13 39 ± 15 Cough, % 50 40 45 69 Dyspnoea, % 45 33 50 46 Wheeze (ever), % 18 7 44 38 Asthma (Dr), % 0 7 26 16 Smoker (ever), % 9 40 38 65 Any skin test+,% 36 60 47 54 FEVl,%pred.(*) 96 ± 13 96 ±15 92 ± 20 90 ± 28 AHR,% 11 27 12 10 Symptoms, asthma or smoking were not related to skin tests, AHR or FEV1%. Compared with TA and NA symptoms (except wheeze) were more frequent in children, smoking in adults less (TA), asthma more common in adults (TA), less in children (NA) and similar in adults (NA), + skin tests more frequent than TA but similar to N A in all groups, FEV1 lower in adults and AHR was less than TA but similar to NA.