BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES : Allergic rhinitis has previously been classified as seasonal, perennial or occupational according to duration of exposure to allergens ; this classification, however, has posed difficulty for care providers in planning the stepwise treatment of allergic rhinitis. According to the ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) workshop report, allergic rhinitis was re-classified as intermittent or persistent according to duration of symptoms, and mild or moderate-to-severe according to severity of symptoms. There has been no reports regarding the distribution of allergic rhinitis by using the new ARIA classification. We aimed to find out the distribution of allergic rhinitis according to the new ARIA classification and its usefulness in clinical use. Subjects and METHOD : A total of 502 allergic rhinitis patients were subjected to this study. They were classified under the previous classification into seasonal, perennial, and multiple. They were classified by new ARIA classification into persistent mild, persistent moderate-to-severe, intermittent mild, and intermittent moderate-to-severe. Their distribution and characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS : When classified according to previous classification, patients sensitized with perennial allergens, seasonal allergens and multi-allergens were 326 (64.9%), 63 (12.5%) and 113 (22.5%) respectively. According to the new ARIA classification, persistent mild, persistent moderate-to-severe, intermittent mild and intermittent moderate-tosevere patients were 82 (16.3%), 161 (32.1%), 159 (31.7%) and 100 (19.9%) respectively. The patients sensitized with perennial allergen were classified to persistent mild (17.5%), persistent moderate-to-severe (32.5%), intermittent mild (31.6%), intermittent moderate-to-severe (18.4%) by new ARIA classification. Half of patients with intermittent symptoms were sensitized by perennial allergen. Among the patients sensitized by only seasonal allergen, 24 (36.5%) had persistent symptoms. There were no difference in group distribution between the rhinorrhea-sneezer and blocker groups. CONCLUSION : Patient distribution by the new ARIA classification was different from the previous classification. From the point of clinicians, the new ARIA classification might be more useful for stepwise treatment and exact evaluation of allergic rhinitis patients than the previous classification.
Allergens ; Classification* ; Education ; Humans ; Rhinitis* ; Seasons

The daily pollen counts in the air of Seoul, Korea were measured using a rotorod sampler from June 1990 to July 1992. Two distinct pollen periods were noted: tree pollens such as alder, poplar, willow, oak and pine appeared in the spring from March to May, and weed pollens, such as Artemisia spp., Ambrosia spp. and Hop japanese appeared in the autumn from August to September. Various kinds of grass pollen appeared from June to September. The study indicated that there were two pollen peaks in Seoul composed of tree pollens in spring and weed pollens in autumn.
Air Pollution/*statistics & numerical data ; Allergens/*analysis ; Humans ; Korea ; Plants ; *Pollen/classification ; Seasons

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is commonly sub-classified into seasonal and perennial rhinitis. The recent "Allergic Rhinitis and its impact on Asthma (ARIA) Workshop" proposed to replace these terms by intermittent vs persistent AR. But the validity of this new classification is still largely unknown. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Three hundred-eleven allergic rhinitis patients were included in this study. Patients were categorized into seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) groups, according to sensitized allergens. Twenty-eight items questionnaire filled out by patients were designed for this study. Based on the questionnaire, patients were classified into either intermittent or persistent AR. Patients' information and associated factors were analysed between the groups. RESULTS: Within the population with AR, 58% of the subjects had persistent AR. About 41% of the patients were classified as moderate-severe persistent AR. There was no association between the intermittent/persistent and the SAR/PAR classifications. Subjects with persistent AR had more severe symptoms, higher rate of self-awareness and had been previously diagnosed with AR. There were no significant difference in sensitization to allergens. However, grass, tree, house dust mite allergy is more common in persistent AR than in intermittent AR. More patients in "Blockers" and "Mixed" groups had persistent AR. CONCLUSION: A statistical comparison of the two classifications showed that they cannot be used interchangeably, as they do not represent the same stratum of disease. There is also an evidence that the persistent type describes a distinct group with characteristics that differentiates them from intermittent AR. These results support the validity of the new ARIA classification as shown in other studies.
Allergens ; Asthma ; Classification* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Poaceae ; Prevalence* ; Pyroglyphidae ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rhinitis* ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; Seasons

Allergic rhinitis is chronic disorder of nose which is evoked by IgE-mediated inflammation mostly triggered by contact between nasal mucosa and inhalant allergen. Allergic rhinitis can be classified according to seasonality (seasonal or perennial), continuity (intermittent or persistent), and severity (mild, moderate, or severe). Allergic rhinitis is relatively common, and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis has increased in Korea like other countries. As well as the prevalence of allergic rhinitis, the indoor and outdoor concentration of inhalant allergens and the sensitization to inhalant allergens were systematically investigated in Korea. As a result, house dust mite, pollens, fungal spores, cockroach, and animal hairs were found to be common inhalant allergens. Moreover, the concentration of tree pollens and grass pollens and sensitization to those pollens increased because of global warming, which may consequently increase the prevalence of pollen-induced allergic rhinitis. With regard to socioeconomic burden of allergic rhinitis, the direct medical cost including herbal and alternative medicine was as high as 1.78 million Korean won per year. Direct nonmedical cost as well as indirect cost including unproductivity, absenteeism, and medical cost for associated diseases such as asthma worsened the socioeconomic burden of allergic rhinitis.
Absenteeism ; Allergens ; Animals ; Asthma ; Classification* ; Cockroaches ; Complementary Therapies ; Epidemiology* ; Global Warming ; Hair ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nose ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Prevalence ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis* ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Seasons ; Spores, Fungal

Allergic rhinitis is chronic disorder of nose which is evoked by IgE-mediated inflammation mostly triggered by contact between nasal mucosa and inhalant allergen. Allergic rhinitis can be classified according to seasonality (seasonal or perennial), continuity (intermittent or persistent), and severity (mild, moderate, or severe). Allergic rhinitis is relatively common, and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis has increased in Korea like other countries. As well as the prevalence of allergic rhinitis, the indoor and outdoor concentration of inhalant allergens and the sensitization to inhalant allergens were systematically investigated in Korea. As a result, house dust mite, pollens, fungal spores, cockroach, and animal hairs were found to be common inhalant allergens. Moreover, the concentration of tree pollens and grass pollens and sensitization to those pollens increased because of global warming, which may consequently increase the prevalence of pollen-induced allergic rhinitis. With regard to socioeconomic burden of allergic rhinitis, the direct medical cost including herbal and alternative medicine was as high as 1.78 million Korean won per year. Direct nonmedical cost as well as indirect cost including unproductivity, absenteeism, and medical cost for associated diseases such as asthma worsened the socioeconomic burden of allergic rhinitis.
Absenteeism ; Allergens ; Animals ; Asthma ; Classification* ; Cockroaches ; Complementary Therapies ; Epidemiology* ; Global Warming ; Hair ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nose ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Prevalence ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis* ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Seasons ; Spores, Fungal

One hundred and one cases with allergic rhinitis were statistically analysed and 40 students without any allergic symtoms as control group were chosen and nasal eosinophile count were performed. The following results were obtained: 1. Among 101 allergic cases the male and female ratio was 4:5. 2. In 54.5%(55 cases) of the allergic group and 15%(6 cases) of the control group showed a positive reaction in the allergic skin test, but no significant sex difference was found. 3. In the 55 allergy positive cases. the peak incidence was in the 4th decade (27.3%) and next in order was the 3rd and 5th decade age group (21.8%). 4. Twenty six causative allergens by skin test were identified and the most frequent allergens were the animal hairs (43.3%) pre dominantly cat, dog and horse and next in frequency were the pollens (34.7%) and house dust (14.0%). 5. The most sensitive allergic reaction was to the house dust and appeared before the 5th year, animal hairs from 6~9 years, and pollens in the 2nd~3rd decade groups. 6. Among 150 positive reactions in 55 patients, ++(60) was the most frequent reaction level and next in order was +(58), +++(26) and ++++(6). 7. The allergic rhinitis due to food was only 2% which included two cases of mussel and a case of mushroom sensitivity. 8. Only 27% of the cases with positive skin, test showed single allergen sensitivity and 73% were multiple allergen sensitivity. 9. The most common combination of multiple allergens was between a variety of animal hairs, animal hairs and house dust, animal hairs and pollens, a variety of pollens and house dust in that order. 10. Among 101 cases of allergic rhinitis, 56.4% (57 cases) showed nasal eosinophilia and 64.9% (30 cases) of these revealed a positive skin test.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens/classification* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dust ; Female ; Hair ; Hay Fever/immunology* ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Pollen ; Skin Tests

PURPOSE: Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease. Generally, aeroallergens and food allergens can exacerbate symptoms in AD. Currently they are divided into two groups: one is an IgE mediated form and the other is a non-IgE mediated form. This study focused upon clinical manifestations of two distinct forms of AD. METHODS: We evaluated 110 patients (male: 58, female: 52) with AD. All patients had visited Masan Samsung Hospital from June 2002 to February 2005. The patients were divided into 2 sub-groups according to their serum total IgE and specific IgE levels. The serum total IgE and specific IgE to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, Egg white, Cow's milk and Soybean were measured by the Pharmacia CAP-FEIA system. Metacholine provocation tests were conducted to reveal bronchial hyper-responsiveness and ARIA guidelines for diagnosis of AR were applied. RESULTS: Our study showed more female predominance in non IgE-mediated atopic dermatitis patients and showed higher total eosinophil count in IgE-mediated atopic dermatitis. (P< 0.05) There was no difference in frequency of asthma between two groups (P> 0.05), but allergic rhinitis was significantly predominant in non IgE-mediated atopic dermatitis patients. (P< 0.05) CONCLUSION: Female was more predominant in non IgE-mediated atopic dermatitis patients and IgE-mediated atopic dermatitis patients showed higher total eosinophil count and more frequency of allergic rhinitis.
Allergens ; Asthma ; Child* ; Classification* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Diagnosis ; Egg White ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Milk ; Rhinitis ; Skin Diseases ; Soybeans

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between latex allergen and clinical presentation as well as allergenic cross-reactivity between latex and other allergens, to know the incidence of latex allergy in Chinese children and elucidate the allergenic cross-reactivity of latex with other allergens.

METHODSTotally 265 children with allergic disorders were assayed with 13 international standard allergen agents by means of SPT.

RESULTSIn 79 children with latex allergenic SPT position, 53 were boys and 26 were girls with an average age of 5.6 years, and 14 cases had episodes occurred in winter, 14 cases in spring, 24 cases in summer, and 27 cases in autumn. Of them, 66 cases presented as asthma, 5 cases atopic skin disorders, 1 case anaphylactoid purpura, 1 case hives and 6 cases only had mild cough. Statistical analysis showed that the positive percentage of the latex SPT had no obvious relation with sex and age, but was higher in summers and autumns than in winters and springs (P < 0.01). Children with allergic symptoms had higher positive rate in latex allergenic SPT than those without them, that is, the positive percentage of the latex SPT significantly increased among children presenting with some allergic symptoms, such as asthma, hives and atopic skin disorders (P < 0.01). All the children with latex allergenic SPT position had cross-reactivity with acarid allergen, 62.0% approximately 43.0% with animal protein allergens including milk, cats, shrimp, dogs, eggs in the order of decreasing cross-reaction rate, and 10.1% - 3.8% with mold and plant farina allergens. But the cross-reactivity between latex and mold or tree farina I were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONThirty percent of the children with allergic disorders were latex allergenic SPT positive. Latex allergenic SPT positive results were significantly correlative to allergic clinical presentation and season, while were not relative to sex and age. The cross-reactivity of latex with acarid was most common, followed by animal protein allergens, while the cross-reactivity with mold and plant farina allergen was rare.

Allergens ; immunology ; Animals ; Asthma ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Latex Hypersensitivity ; classification ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Seasons ; Skin Tests

Mast cells, which are major effector cells in allergic reactions, are found in the perivascular spaces of most tissues and contain pro-inflammatory and vasoactive mediators. These mediators are released after IgE receptor cross-linking induced by allergens or other stimuli, including anaphylatoxins (C3a and C5a), aggregated IgG, certain drugs, venoms, and physical stimuli (pressure and temperature changes), as well as cytokines and neuropeptides. The excess release of these mediators can cause variable allergic symptoms and signs, such as bronchospasm, itching, flushing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vascular instability, and anaphylaxis. Furthermore, mast cell disorders may involve either excessive proliferation of mast cells or abnormal mast cell reactivity. Mast cell disorders can be broadly divided into 3 types: primary, secondary, and idiopathic. All of these disorders present with signs and symptoms of mast cell activation and differ in severity and involvement of various organ systems. The best characterized primary disorder is mastocytosis. Systemic and cutaneous forms of the disease are well described. Secondary disorders include typical allergic diseases and some types of urticarial diseases. In this article, the biochemical characteristics of mast cells and the role of mast cells in allergic inflammation, as well as the classification, diagnosis, and management of mast cell-related disorders, will be reviewed.
Abdominal Pain ; Allergens ; Allergy and Immunology ; Anaphylatoxins ; Anaphylaxis ; Bronchial Spasm ; Classification ; Cytokines ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Flushing ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Inflammation* ; Mast Cells* ; Mastocytosis ; Nausea ; Neuropeptides ; Pruritus ; Venoms ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the relationship between individual allergens with current wheezing and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in schoolchildren from three chinese cities: Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. METHODS Community-based random samples of 10-yr-old schoolchildren from the 3 cities were recruited for study using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase II protocol. The subjects were studied by parental questionnaires (n = 10,902), skin-prick tests (n = 3478), and methacholine challenge tests (n = 608). RESULTS The highest prevalence rates of wheezing in the past 12 months (Beijing, 3.8%; Guangzhou, 3.4%; Hong Kong, 5.8%) and atopy (Beijing, 23.9%; Guangzhou, 30.8%; Hong Kong, 41.2%, defined as having Allergens ; classification ; immunology ; Asthma ; etiology ; immunology ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity ; etiology ; immunology ; Child ; China ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Skin Tests ; Surveys and Questionnaires