National Publications

The following publications used ISAAC data from China:

Lai CKW, Chan JKW, Wong G, Ho A, Choy D, Lau J, Leung R. Comparison of the ISAAC video questionaire (AVQ3.0) with the ISAAC written questionnaire for estimating asthma associated with bronchial hyperreactivity. Clin Exp Allergy 1997; 27: 540-545.
Zhao T, Wang HJ, Chen Y, Xiao M, Duo L, Liu G, Lau Y, Karlberg J. Prevalence of childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in Urumqi and Beijing. J Paediatr Ch Health 2000; 36(2): 128-33.
Wong GW, Hui DS, Chan HH, Fok TF, Leung R, Zhong NS, Chen YZ, Lai CK. Prevalence of respiratory and atopic disorders in Chinese schoolchildren. Clin Exp Allergy.2001 Aug;31(8):1225-31.
Wong GWK, Hui DSC, Tam CM, Chan HH, Fok TF, Chan-Yeung M, Lai CKW. Asthma, atopy and tuberculin responses in Chinese schoolchildren in Hong Kong. Thorax 2001; 56(10): 770–773
Wong GW, Li ST, Hui DS, Fok TF, Zhong NS, Chen YZ, Lai CK. Individual allergens as risk factors for asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in Chinese children. Eur Respir J.2002 Feb;19(2):288-93.
Chen YZ, Wang HY, Wang HJ, Ma Y, Li S, Zhao J, Zhong NS, Huang YJ, Huo TH, Lai QW. [Prevalence of respiratory and atopic disorders in Chinese school children]. Chin J Tuberc Respir Dis.2003 Mar;26(3):143-7.Chinese.
Chen YZ, Ma Y, Wang HY, Wang HJ, Zhao J, Cao L, Li S, Wong GW, Zhong NS, Fok TF, Lai CK. [Individual allergens as risk factors for asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in Chinese children].[Chinese]. Zhonghua Erke Zazhi.2003 Jul.41(7):538-41.
Wong GW, Ko FW, Hui DS, Fok TF, Carr D, von Mutius E, Zhong NS, Chen YZ, Lai CK. Factors associated with difference in prevalence of asthma in children from three cities in China: multicentre epidemiological survey. BMJ 2004; 329(7464): 486.
Wang HY, Chen YZ, Ma Y, Wong GW, Lai CK, Zhong NS. [Disparity of asthma prevalence in Chinese schoolchildren is due to differences in lifestyle factors]. Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi.2006 Jan;44(1):41-5.Chinese.
Wang HY, Wong GW, Chen YZ, Ferguson A, Greene J, Ma Y, Zhong NS, Lai CKW, Sears M. Prevalence of asthma among Chinese adolescents living in Canada and in China. CMAJ 2008 179: 1133-1142.

China, Asia-Pacific

Centres:	Phase:	PI:	Age Groups
Beijing	1	Professor Yu-Zhi Chen	13-14
Chongqing	1	Professor Kun-Hua Chen	13-14
Guangzhou	1	Professor Nan-Shan Zhong	13-14
Shanghai	1	Dr Mao Bao-Shan	13-14
Wulumuqi	1	Professor Man-Lin Xiao	13-14
Beijing	2	Professor Yu-Zhi Chen	10-11
Guangzhou	2	Professor Nan-Shan Zhong	10-11
Beijing	3	Professor Yu-Zhi Chen	13-14
Guangzhou	3	Professor Nan-Shan Zhong	13-14
Tibet	3	Assistant Professor Osamu Kunii	13-14
Tong Zhou	3	Professor Yu-Zhi Chen	13-14
Wulumuqi(9)	3	Dr Qiao Li Pan	13-14

National Coordinator:

Roles:

National Coordinator for China
Phase One Principal Investigator for Beijing
Phase Two Principal Investigator for Beijing
Phase Three Principal Investigator for Beijing, Tong Zhou

Professor Yu-Zhi Chen

Capital Institute of Pediatrics

No 2 Ya Bao Road
Beijing
China

ISAAC in China

China is a very large country, and there were several studies about asthma prevalence in1990 and also in 2000. A nationwide and randomized survey on the prevalence of childhood asthma in 2000, compared with the same study in 1990, covered 31 provinces and 43 cities, including a population of 437873 children aged 0-14 years. The results show us that there was a concerning increase in asthma prevalence. But they had a different methodology than ISAAC Study. For this reason we considered it very important to join ISAAC. We thought joining the ISAAC study would let us get data about asthma and allergies prevalence in different cities in China and give us the opportunity of comparing our data with the data of other countries involved in this study. With ISAAC we also expected to achieve a better understanding and treatment of our patients.

When we knew that an international study about asthma and allergies was being prepared. We were very enthusiastic about including 5 cities of mainland China in that study in 1994 ISAAC Phase One. The 5 cities were Beijing, Shanghai, GuangZhou, Chongqing and Urumuqi, and we worked very hard do the study.

In ISAAC Phase Two study, as the study was more difficult than Phase One, and only needed a few centres to take part in it, we chose 2 centres, Beijing and Guangzhou, to join the Phase Two study. Expecially, our team did a lot of difficult work in the study. For example, in the dust collection work, you could imagine how hard it was to go to 200 children’s home when the pupils were dismissed from school, and to get the dust from those children’s bed, floor, etc.

In Phase Three China, a new centre, Tongzhou (Beijing rural) was added to the study in the 13-14 years group. Tongzhou is an area about 50km away from the Beijing urban city that included children from farmland. It was very important to have the centre within the study, so we could compare the result of Tongzhou with Beijing urban city, and to have a better understanding of the prevalence and machanism of asthma and allergic diseases. And finally, we found that the wheezing and allergic diseases prevalence were much lower in rural Beijing students than in urban Beijing students, and also the prevalence of positive allergy of SPT was much lower in rural Beijing students than in urban Beijing students.

Overall, in 12 years of ISAAC Study from Phase I to Phase III, about 90,000 chinese children joined the study, and 25,000 Beijing children joined the study.

And more, for the I-III ISAAC Study, we got the award of "Science and Technology Advancement Prize" awarded by the Beijing Municipal Government in 2006, and recieved 20000 RMB prize.