Rise of Asthma Cases in Gulf Region

According to a pulmonologist, the quick pace of 
’modernization’ of the Arab community is responsible for the rise in the number of cases of asthma reported in the Gulf region.

A survey made by the Asthma Insights and Reality in the Gulf and Near East (AIRGNE) of Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and the UAE last year showed that the comparative population prevalence of diagnosed current asthma was high, ranging from 23 per cent in Kuwait to 32 per cent in Lebanon. The UAE follows Lebanon with 30 per cent of its population.

Asthma amongst children has also risen by almost 50 per cent compared to figures prevalent 10 years ago.

Majority of asthmatic patients are young adults. “Within the last five years, we are starting to see asthma in infants and people who are more than 70 years old, which is unusual. This is a global trend as shown by studies in the US, Australia and countries in Europe,” Al Hajjaj said.

He attributed this to “very fast modernization, pollution, smoking and other environmental agent (as well as) genetics.”

However, the condition will wear off for 80 per cent of children who are less than 10 years old and suffer from mild asthma as they grow older. But those with moderate or severe asthma are unlikely to get rid of their asthma.

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