Atopic diseases in Norwegian Lapps.

The occurrence of atopic diseases in Lapps was estimated by reviewing medical records in the local health centre of Kautokeino. Atopic diseases were found to be present or to have occurred in 306 (10.4%) of the 2,950 individuals reviewed, with no difference between males (10.6%) and females (10.2%). Atopic diseases were detected more frequently in those under 20 years (19.4%) than in those 20 years or older (5.5%). On average, asthma occurred more frequently in males (4.2%) than in females (2.9%), even more so in the younger age group (males = 7.5%, females = 2.5%). Similarly, the occurrence of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was remarkably low, but found in more males (2.3%) than in females (1.9%) with the frequency increasing in those under 20 years (males = 4.7%, females = 2.9%). A peak prevalence was observed in the age group 10-19 years (6.1%). On the other hand, atopic urticaria was found more frequently in females (1.0%) than in males (0.3%), whereas atopic dermatitis occurred with the same frequency in females (6.4%) and males (6.1%) followed by the frequency in those under 20 years increasing to 13.9% and 13.5%, respectively.