For Release: April 9, 1998
Contact:
American Thoracic Society
Lori Atkins
212 315-6442
News Tips From The American Thoracic Society
The following reports are based on articles appearing in the April issue of the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE.
TB INCIDENCE GOES UP AS SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS (SES) GOES DOWN
This was a finding from an analysis of U.S. census data conducted by investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They assigned values for six SES omdocatprs--crowding, income, proverty, public assistance, unemployment and education to TB cases reported between 1987 and 1993. TB strikes Hispanics, African-Americans, and Asian Pacific Islanders at rates five to 11times higher than whites. However, they found that half the increased risk previously ascribed to race or ethnicity in U.S. citizens could be attributed to low SES instead. They reported that as SES decreased, TB increased. They noted that the highest rates affected individuals who had to share airspace in very crowded living quarters.
FINNISH TWINS STUDY UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF GENES IN ASTHMA FAMILY HISTORIES
A study of 2,500 Finnish families of twins found that the presence of asthma in successive generations is more likely caused by shared genes than shared envirnomental risk factors. In families, where one of the parents was asthmatic, as much as 87 percent of the variation in susceptibility was explained by genetic factors. On the other hand, in twins whose parents did not have asthma, a model including environmental effect alone was sufficient to explain the development of asthma.
ASTHMA INCREASING IN ALMOST ALL AGE GROUPS, NOT JUST YOUNG MALES
Between 1967 and 1987, increases in treated prevalence of asthma increased in almost every age groups, not just in young males as several earlier studies have reported. according to trend data collected from three medical institutions in Oregon. The only age/sex category that did not show an increase was males over 65 years of age. The findings are in direct contrast to previous studies showing that increases in asthma hospitalizations and hospital-based episodes of care were limited primarily to young boys. Investigators also pointed out that the prevalence of asthma and chronic bronchitis or emphysema appears to be steadily increasing in older women.
For further information or for copies of the entire articles of any of the above, please contact Lori Atkings, American Thoracic Society, at 212 315-6442 or fax her at 212 315-6456.
###
Contact:
American Thoracic Society
Lori Atkins 212 315-6442
News Tips From The American Thoracic Society
The following reports are based on articles appearing in the April issue of
the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE.
TB INCIDENCE GOES UP AS SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS (SES) GOES DOWN
This was a finding from an analysis of U.S. census data conducted by
investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
They assigned values for six SES omdocatprs--crowding, income, proverty,
public assistance, unemployment and education to TB cases reported between
1987 and 1993. TB strikes Hispanics, African-Americans, and Asian Pacific
Islanders at rates five to 11times higher than whites. However, they found
that half the increased risk previously ascribed to race or ethnicity in
U.S. citizens could be attributed to low SES instead. They reported that
as SES decreased, TB increased. They noted that the highest rates affected
individuals who had to share airspace in very crowded living quarters.
FINISH TWINS STUDY UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF GENES IN ASTHMA FAMILY
HISTORIES
A study of 2,500 Finnish families of twins found that the presence of
asthma in successive generations is more likely caused by shared genes than
shared envirnomental risk factors. In families, where one of the parents
was asthmatic, as much as 87 percent of the variation in susceptibility was
explained by genetic factors. On the other hand, in twins whose parents
did not have asthma, a model including environmental effect alone was
sufficient to explain the development of asthma.
ASTHMA INCREASING IN ALMOST ALL AGE GROUPS, NOT JUST YOUNG MALES
Between 1967 and 1987, increases in treated prevalence of asthma increased
in almost every
age groups, not just in young males as several earlier studies have
reported. according to trend data collected from three medical institutions
in Oregon. The only age/sex category that did not show an increase was
males over 65 years of age. The findings are in direct contrast to
previous studies showing that increases in asthma hospitalizations and
hospital-based episodes of care were limited primarily to young boys.
Investigators also pointed out that the prevalence of asthma and chronic
bronchitis or emphysema appears to be steadily increasing in older women.
For further information or for copies of the entire articles of any of the
above, please contact Lori Atkings, American Thoracic Society, at 212
315-6442 or fax her at 212 315-6456 .
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