Clinical manifestations patterns of allergic disease in Korean children under the age of 6: multi-center study.
10.3345/kjp.2008.51.6.640
- Author:
Dong Il KIM
1
;
Hyeon Jong YANG
;
Young Mean PARK
;
Yeong Ho RHA
;
Ji Tai CHOUNG
;
Bok Yang PYUN
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Korea. bypyun@hosp.sch.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Multicenter Study ; Original Article
- Keywords:
Allergic march;
Questionnaire;
Multicenter study
- MeSH:
Asthma;
Child;
Dermatitis, Atopic;
Early Diagnosis;
Fathers;
Female;
Hospitals, University;
Humans;
Hypersensitivity;
Korea;
Male;
Parents;
Surveys and Questionnaires;
Rhinitis;
Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial
- From:Korean Journal of Pediatrics
2008;51(6):640-645
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: It is widely known that allergic diseases progress through an allergic march. However, there have not been any recent reports in Korea on how the diseases progress. METHODS: Parents who visited one of the Pediatric Allergy Clinics of four university hospitals in Seoul with a child under the age of 6 years during the period from May 1-30, 2006 were asked to complete a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 229 parents answered the questionnaire about their children, of which 122 were male and 107 were female. The most common allergic disease before 2 years of age was atopic dermatitis (79%). Meanwhile, in 2- to 4-year age group, allergic rhinitis (38%) and asthma (37%) were predominant. The most common allergic disease in the 4- to 6-year age group was asthma (72%), followed by allergic rhinitis (64%). Seventy-three percent of the children had a family history of allergic disease, most often in the fathers (39%). Among patients with allergic rhinitis, 50% had experienced asthma in their earlier days and 30% had experienced atopic dermatitis. In addition, 57% of the children with asthma had suffered from atopic dermatitis. Parents believed that asthma was the most serious allergic disease. CONCLUSION: In the present study, allergic disease showed a tendency to march from atopic dermatitis to asthma and then to allergic rhinitis. Early diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis is, therefore, considered important for prevention of the allergic march.
