December 16, 2015

The prevalence and incidence of asthma are very high in the Western world. There is widespread concern that the prevalence of asthma is still rising in developed countries, but the economic and humanitarian effects of asthma are probably greater in the developing world, where the prevalence is also rising. Primary prevention strategies to combat the asthma epidemic are therefore urgently sought, but they must be based on a sound understanding of the various determinants of the onset of asthma. In this synopsis of the temporal trends and determinants of asthma and associated features such as atopy, we seek to provide insight into the complex nature of this illness.