Allergien und Lungenerkrankungen im Erwachsenenalter. Beitrag der deutschen Kohorten Hamburg und Erfurt zum Internationalen Projekt zu Atemwegserkrankungen

欧洲共同体呼吸系统健康调查（ECRHS）是一项关于呼吸系统健康的后续研究，特别是来自欧洲20多个国家和世界其他一些地区的成年人的哮喘，过敏和肺功能。在德国，首先在基线研究（ECRHS-I; 1990-1992）中，然后在随访研究（ECRHS-II; 2000-2002）中，对来自埃尔富特和汉堡的20-44岁成人随机样本进行了检查。ECRHS是欧洲唯一一项提供全面呼吸健康数据的研究。它使成人哮喘和呼吸系统健康的流行病学研究方法标准化。此外，研究结果为许多国家的方案举措提供了相关信息，在有关国家进行的20年随访应分析哮喘、过敏和肺功能的时间变化，以及与新风险因素的关联。随访的目的是：（i）描述哮喘、鼻炎和过敏原致敏的长期发展，并确定其环境和遗传决定因素;（ii）量化肺功能下降和COPD发病率及其决定因素;（三）描述哮喘治疗在人群和个体水平上的变化及其对哮喘症状患病率的影响。德国参与国际随访研究（ECRHS III）使其能够在国际竞争水平上进行成人呼吸健康研究。

The European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) is a follow-up study on respiratory health, in particular asthma, allergy and lung function in the general population of adults from more than 20 countries in Europe and some other parts of the world. In Germany a random sample of 20-44 year old adults from Erfurt and Hamburg were examined first of all in the baseline study (ECRHS-I; 1990-1992) and then in the follow-up study (ECRHS-II; 2000-2002). The ECRHS is the only European study providing comprehensive data on respiratory health. It has led to the standardisation of epidemiological research methods of adult asthma and respiratory health. Additionally, the results provided information relevant for programme initiatives in many countries.The 20-year follow-up in the involved countries is supposed to analyse the temporal shift of asthma, allergy and lung function, as well as the association with new risk factors. The objectives of the follow-up are: (i) to describe the long-term development of asthma, rhinitis and sensitisation to allergens and to identify their environmental and genetic determinants; (ii) to quantify lung function decline and the incidence of COPD and their determinants; (iii) to describe the changes in asthma treatment on population and individual level and their influence on the prevalence of asthma symptoms.The German participation in the international follow-up study (ECRHS III) renders it possible to perform respiratory health research in adults on an internationally competetive level.