AIMS The aims of the study were to investigate prevalence trends of respiratory symptoms, asthma and asthma treatment among young adults in Estonia and to estimate changes in symptom profile among subjects who self-report asthma attacks or use asthma medications. METHODS Two similar questionnaires on respiratory health were sent to subjects in Tartu, Estonia, aged between 20 and 44 years; first in 1993/94, and then in 2014/15. To study the impact of different respiratory symptoms on asthma diagnosis and treatment, the log-binomial regression was used to estimate the association between 'attack of asthma' (as a proxy for current asthma) and respiratory symptoms as well as asthma treatment and respiratory symptoms, adjusted for age, sex and smoking history. RESULTS Self-reported prevalence of asthma attack, asthma medication use and nasal allergies increased over the twenty years between studies, whereas there was no change in prevalence of asthma-related symptoms, and the prevalence of most respiratory symptoms either decreased, or remained unchanged. For women experiencing asthma attacks, the prevalence of nasal allergies increased and waking with chest tightness decreased. For men using asthma medication, the prevalence of a wheeze without a cold decreased. Women using asthma medication reported decreased prevalence of waking with chest tightness. CONCLUSION Self-reported asthma attacks and asthma medication use has increased in last 20 years, while the prevalence of most respiratory symptoms either decreased or did not change. It is likely that changes in asthma symptom profile have had an impact on the prevalence of asthma and asthma treatment.

中文翻译：

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被视为哮喘的症状特征变化-相距20年的两项横断面研究。

目的本研究的目的是调查爱沙尼亚年轻人中呼吸道症状，哮喘和哮喘治疗的流行趋势，并估计自我报告哮喘发作或使用哮喘药物的受试者的症状特征变化。方法向爱沙尼亚塔尔图市（Tartu）的年龄在20至44岁之间的受试者发送了两份类似的呼吸健康问卷。首先在1993/94年，然后在2014/15年。为了研究不同呼吸道症状对哮喘的诊断和治疗的影响，采用对数二项式回归来估计“哮喘发作”（作为当​​前哮喘的代名词）与呼吸道症状以及哮喘治疗和呼吸道症状之间的关联。 ，根据年龄，性别和吸烟史进行调整。结果自我报告的哮喘发作率，在研究之间的二十年间，哮喘药物的使用和鼻过敏有所增加，而哮喘相关症状的发生率没有变化，大多数呼吸道症状的发生率下降或保持不变。对于患有哮喘发作的女性，鼻过敏的患病率增加，醒来时胸闷感降低。对于使用哮喘药物的男性，没有感冒的喘息患病率降低了。使用哮喘药物的妇女据报道胸闷醒来的患病率降低。结论在过去的20年中，自我报告的哮喘发作和哮喘药物的使用有所增加，而大多数呼吸道症状的发生率却有所下降或没有变化。哮喘症状特征的改变可能对哮喘的流行和哮喘治疗产生了影响。