European Community Respiratory Health Survey

Analyses

A number of papers were written by the Steering Committee, but most are now the responsibility of the working groups.

Papers have been published on distribution of NO2 and PM2.5 (Gotschi et al, Epidemiology 2002), changes in symptom prevalence (Chinn et al, Thorax 2004), changes in IgE-sensitisation (Jarvis et al, J Allergy Clin Immunol 2005), relation of change in lung function to smoking and change in body mass index (Chinn et al, Lancet 2005), and change in bronchial responsiveness (Chinn et al, Am J Resp Crit Care Med, 2005). See Publications for a full list of ECRHS I and II papers.

Health Data

Thirty centres (24 EU funded centres) took part, 29 in stage 1, and 29 in stage 2, one centre completing stage 1 only and another omitting the screening questionnaire.

ECRHS II collected around 13000 (11000 from EU funded centres) short, screening questionnaires asking about asthma symptoms.

About 11,000 (9,500 from EU funded centres) individuals were assessed in clinics and provided health data from the detailed questionnaire, most of whom also provided quality of life information, lung function and bronchial responsiveness data. Around 8,200 (7,000 from EU funded centres) blood samples for total and specific IgE were collected and about 4,700 participants from EU funded centres gave blood samples for DNA.

A fieldworker takes a blood sample