Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors for Pediatric Asthma in East Jerusalem / Palestine
Date
2007-06-10
Authors
كفايه جمعه حامد حامد
KEFAYA JUMA HAMED HAMED
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AL-Quds University
جامعة القدس
جامعة القدس
Abstract
Pediatric asthma is a serious illness that poses tremendous stress on patients and
their families alike. Unfortunately the disease's incidence is on a rise
worldwide.
Pediatric asthma is a chronic disease affecting the small bronchi leading to
inflammation with subsequent edema and hypersecretion resulting in narrowing
of the lumen demonstrated in cough, dyspnea and wheezes. Pollution, cigarette
smoke, dust mite, domestic animal and extreme weather conditions are
considered causative and triggering factors. Genetic factors play critical role in
respiratory hypersensitivity also identified to be an important risk factor in
pediatric asthma.
Children are primary victims, being exposed, early on in life, to thousands of
attacks of acute severe asthma and requiring hospital referral. The study aims
was to identify the most prevalent environmental - genetic risk factors that
affect pediatric asthma in east Jerusalem/ Palestine.
The sample size consists of 300 children from East Jerusalem between 5 and 16
years old. One hundred patients represent bronchial asthma ,case and 200 with
other diseases.
The purposive sample is taken from four medical centers in East Jerusalem and
two major medical institution ,Al- Makassed Islamic Charitable Hospital and
Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH). The study was approved by the scientific
research committee at Al –Quds University, and a permission to conduct the
study from the administration of Al- Makassed Islamic Charitable center, the
Arab medical health center, the American medical center and from the
Palestinian ministry of health center also along with permission from AVH and
Makassed Islamic Charitable Hospital was obtained
The Alpha 1 Antitrypsin genotype was perform for 50% of the samples (50
case, 100 control) in addition 300 questionnaire was distributed for 300 families
of children selected in the study area . Pearson chi square was used to check the
association of environmental risk factors that affect pediatric asthma in east
Jerusalem Palestine. Result of the study demonstrate that there is a strong
association between pediatric asthma and the presence of domestic animal in
home , second hand smoking, and family history of asthma is strongly related to
asthma .on the other hand genetic risk factor is poorly associated with asthma
among children in east Jerusalem /Palestine.
Description
Keywords
الدراسات البيئية , Environmental Studies