Prevalence and Determinants of Asthma and Allergies in Children in Europe: International Coordination and Data Centre of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC Study, Phase II)
| Project leader | Stephan Weiland † |
| Co-operation | Bengt Björksten (Karolinska Institute Stockholm, Sweden), Bert Brunekreef (University of Wageningen, Netherlands), William Cookson (University of Oxford, England), Erika von Mutius (Dr von Haunersches Kinderspital, LMU Munich), David Strachan (University of London, England) |
| Project funding | 5th Framework Programme of the European Union, Brussels |
| Duration | 1.2.2000 until 31.1.2004 |
| Departmental tasks | Coordination and Data Centre |
| Staff members | Gudrun Weinmayr, Gisela Büchele, Andrea Kleiner |
The aim of Phase II of ISAAC is to explain the major international differences in the incidence of asthma and allergies in children found in Phase I. The coordinator of this research project, which is funded by the European Union, is Stephan Weiland.
In more than 25 study centres in 15 European countries, selected according to the results of Phase I, at least 1,000 children aged 9-11 years will be examined using skin prick tests, other skin tests, blood tests and lung function measurements with bronchial provocation as well as detailed parental questionnaires and indoor measurements in the home.
The influences of early intrauterine and neonatal factors, infections and vaccinations as well as socio-economic conditions, physical activity, diet and, last but not least, indoor air pollution and indoor exposure to allergens and endotoxins are analysed as possible causes. In addition, the importance of genetic factors will be analysed and the role they play in different populations and in explaining differences in the incidence of asthma and allergies between populations will be investigated. A third focus of this research project is to investigate the interactions between genetic influences and the environmental factors mentioned above. The aim is to gain new insights into the causes of asthma and allergies in children in order to improve the possibilities for successful preventive measures.