Mast cell activation after adenosine inhalation challenge in patients with bronchial asthma

A total of 7.5% of the males and 2.2% of the females had persistent wheezing complaints. Wheezing symptoms were found to be significantly high among males and smokers. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis and dermatitis were 24.1% and 6.8% respectively. Rhinitis rates were 16.5% among males and 7.6% among females. The eczema rate was 5.2% among males and 1.6% among females. Prevalence of having a pet at home was 11.7% and family history of atopy was 11.9%. Pet ownership [OR: 1.25 (0.94–1.65)] and family history of atopy [(OR: 3.77(2.88–4.94)] were significantly associated with rhinitis. Smoking rate was 23.3% in the whole group, 20.3% in males and 3.0% in females. Wheezing, asthma-like symptoms, cumulative asthma, current asthma and rhinitis were less common related in students who did not smoke. The rates of asthma, and asthma-like symptoms were found to be higher among smoking students than in non-smoking students, statistically. The low prevalence of asthma in our low-income population may depend on geographical and climatic variation, as well as to the low socioeconomic status of our population. The higher prevalence of rhinitis may depend on that some students may have confused the question about rhinitis and some with sinusitis or other nonallergic rhinitis complaints may have answered the same question with yes , because nonallergic rhinitis patients may have the same complaints like allergic rhinitis patients (5). In conclusion, asthma and/or asthmalike symptoms among university students in the eastern region of Turkey are lower than the developed countries, and habitual smoking is an important risk factor for allergic diseases.