[Costs due to asthma medical care in a group of children from northeastern Mexico]

BACKGROUND

In 1998 the economic burden of asthma in the United States was estimated in 12.7 billion dollars. In Mexico the annual direct costs for asthma could be approximately from 32 to 35 million dollars.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the healthcare costs in asthmatic children in the Northeast of Mexico.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. We applied a questionnaire to the parents of 60 asthmatic children. They attended to a conference about asthma and allergy illnesses. In this questionnaire the parents answered some questions that provided us information about expenditures because of the treatment of their children with asthma during the last year.

RESULTS

Fifty-six questionnaires were answered correctly. The mean age of children was 10.8 +/- 2.5 years and 64.3% of them were males. The annual costs reported by patient were < or = 225 USD for medical consultation (76.8%) and < or = 134 USD for immunotherapy (81.6%). On the other hand, the costs for emergency department visits and hospitalization were < or = 45 USD and < or = 180 USD by each event respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The costs of asthma treatment in children are considerable and cause a huge impact in the family economy. It is necessary further research in bigger groups and doing comparative studies among different groups will help clarify the extent of the economic burden of asthma in Mexico.

[Prevalence of hymenoptera sting allergy in veterinary medicine students from Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico]

BACKGROUND

The reported prevalence of allergic systemic reactions to hymenoptera venom occur in up to 3.3% and large local reactions occur in 17% in the general population.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of hymenoptera sting allergy in a group of veterinary medicine students from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

A transverse and observational study was done with 64 students of veterinary medicine. We conducted a questionnaire about the students' history of insect allergy and atopy. Skin test with allergenic extracts of bee and ant were practiced to all subjects. We performed aeroallergen skin prick test to the subjets with suspected atopy.

RESULTS

Students age ranged from 17 to 25 years (mean 20.2) and 37 were males. Twenty students (31.3%) had clinical history of atopy and positive skin tests to aeroallergens. On the other hand, 5 students (7.8%), including 2 atopic, had suffered large local reactions, but none of them had suffered systemic reactions. Bee and ant skin tests were positive in 15.6% and 31.3% of the students respectively. There was no difference in the prevalence of hymenoptera allergy between atopic and non atopic subjects (p < 0.05). Further, the frequency of atopy in subjects with positive skin tests for bee and ant was 50%.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of large local reactions and hymenoptera sensitization found in this group was similar to that found in other epidemiologic studies.