An international study of asthma has shown that the State has the highest prevalence of the disease among seven European countries. Just over 12 per cent of the population here suffer from asthma, compared with 6 per cent in Sweden and just over 3 per cent in Italy and Spain.
The research also shows that the management of asthma is poor in the State and that patients with asthma are suffering significant levels of sleep difficulties and lifestyle restrictions.
The AIRI (Asthma Insights and Reality in Ireland) study has confirmed there are almost 480,000 people with asthma in the State. It also found that 45 per cent of asthma sufferers live with a smoker in the home and are thus exposed to passive smoking.
The study of 3,278 households in the State, which was carried out this year, is an extension of major European research previously performed in seven EU countries: Britain, Sweden, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Germany.
Dr Pat Manning, consultant respiratory physician at the Bons Secours Hospital, Dublin, said the fact that 38 per cent of children with asthma were exposed to cigarette smoke in the home was "horrific".
"Exposure of children to passive smoking has been shown to increase the rate of bronchitis and induce early onset of obstructive airways disease, as well as affecting the health of those with asthma", he said.
Asked why the prevalence of asthma in the State was high compared with some other European countries, Dr Manning said there were three possible explanations for this. One was a genetic predisposition which meant that people in these islands were more likely to be of an "allergic disposition".
Diet was also a contributory factor, he said, adding that there was a substantially greater fish oil intake in southern European countries, which may have a role in preventing asthma. This was in contrast to these islands, where diet is higher in fat content. "Environmental factors are also important", Dr Manning said.
The dust mite is a major trigger factor for the onset of asthma; he noted that the creation of "sealed box" housing meant that our living conditions were now more hot and humid, which encouraged higher levels of dust mites.
Dr Peter Greally, consultant respiratory physician at Tallaght Hospital and chairman of the Asthma Society's medical committee, said: "These results confirm that the management of asthma in the Republic falls well short of the therapeutic goals of elimination or minimisation of symptoms as laid down by the Global Initiative for Asthma [see panel]. The burden of living with asthma in Ireland has now been clearly shown for the first time".
According to the World Health Organisation's Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines, all people with asthma should aim for:
No sleep disruption;
No missed work / school;
Minimal need for emergency hospital visits;
Normal activity levels;
Normal or near normal lung function.
An AIRI study this year showed how Irish people with asthma are affected:
32 per cent report sleep difficulties;
25 per cent said asthma affected their career;
27 per cent needed emergency treatment in the last year;
46 per cent reported restrictions during sport and recreation;
75 per cent said they had never received a lung function test.