METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 31,503 participants in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) between 2018 and 2021. Allergies and asthma were defined on an affirmative response in the questionnaire by a parent or guardian. Chi-square tests were used to compare baseline characteristics with allergies and asthma for categorical variables. Differences in prevalence during and before the COVID-19 pandemic were estimated with weighted logistic regression, adjusting for demographic factors. Interaction analyses explored variations across strata.
RESULTS: In US children and adolescents aged 0 to 17, prevalence of any allergy was 26.1% (95% CI, 24.8%- 27.4%) in 2018 and 27.1% (95% CI, 25.9%- 28.2%) in 2021. Thereinto, in 2018, prevalence of respiratory allergies, food allergies and skin allergies were 14.0% (95% CI, 13.1%- 15.0%), 6.5% (95% CI, 5.8%- 7.1%) and 12.6% (95% CI, 11.6%- 13.5%), respectively, and in 2021, 18.8% (95% CI, 17.8%- 19.9%), 5.8% (95% CI, 5.2%- 6.4%) and 10.7% (95% CI, 9.9%- 11.5%), respectively. And prevalence of asthma was 11.1% (95% CI, 10.5%- 11.7%) in 2018-2019 and 9.8% (95% CI, 9.2%- 10.4%) in 2020-2021. Prevalence of respiratory allergies, skin allergies and asthma during and before the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents had statistically significant differences. The differences persisted after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic variables.
CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of respiratory allergies increased and the prevalence of both skin allergies and asthma decreased among US children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the pre-COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is required to explore the association between allergic diseases and the pandemic, with a particular emphasis on the impact of lifestyle changes resulting from measures to prevent COVID-19 infection.
方法:这项横断面研究包括2018年至2021年国家健康访谈调查(NHIS)的31,503名参与者。父母或监护人在问卷中的肯定回答中定义了过敏和哮喘。卡方检验用于比较过敏和哮喘的分类变量的基线特征。用加权逻辑回归估计COVID-19大流行期间和之前的患病率差异,调整人口因素。相互作用分析探索了不同地层的变化。
结果:在美国0至17岁的儿童和青少年中,2018年任何过敏的患病率为26.1%(95%CI,24.8%-27.4%),2021年为27.1%(95%CI,25.9%-28.2%)。其中,2018年,呼吸道过敏的患病率,食物过敏和皮肤过敏为14.0%(95%CI,13.1%-15.0%),6.5%(95%CI,5.8%-7.1%)和12.6%(95%CI,11.6%-13.5%),分别,2021年,18.8%(95%CI,17.8%-19.9%),5.8%(95%CI,5.2%-6.4%)和10.7%(95%CI,9.9%-11.5%),分别。2018-2019年哮喘患病率为11.1%(95%CI,10.5%-11.7%),2020-2021年为9.8%(95%CI,9.2%-10.4%)。呼吸道过敏的患病率,儿童和青少年在COVID-19大流行期间和之前的皮肤过敏和哮喘差异有统计学意义.在调整了人口和社会经济变量后,差异仍然存在。
结论:与COVID-19大流行前相比,在COVID-19大流行期间,美国儿童和青少年中呼吸道过敏的患病率增加,皮肤过敏和哮喘的患病率下降。需要进一步的研究来探索过敏性疾病和大流行之间的关系,特别强调预防COVID-19感染的措施导致的生活方式改变的影响。