OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of allergic reactions to common aeroallergens in young children with wheezing or allergic diseases by examining the results of skin prick test in children under 5 years old.

METHODSA total of 196 children under 5 years old, from a district of Changsha City sampled between September 1 to December 31, 2010, were assigned into two groups according to the presence of wheezing or allergic diseases: allergen screening (n=102) and control (n=94). Skin prick tests were performed on both groups.

RESULTSThe positive rate of skin prick test in the allergen screening group was 61.8% (63/102), and this was significantly higher than in the control group (9.6%, 9/94; P<0.05). In the allergen screening group, the positive rate of skin prick test in children with both recurrent wheezing and allergic rhinitis was significantly higher than in children with wheezing alone (P<0.05). The frequency of wheezing was positively correlated with a positive skin prick test (r=0.91; P<0.05). The positive rate of skin prick test for mites was significantly higher than for other aeroallergens (24.2% vs 3.5%; P<0.05) in the allergen screening group. Skin prick testing of the children for dermatophagoides farinae showed a higher positive rate than for dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (50.0% vs 14.7%; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSWheezing in early childhood may be associated with the occurrence of asthma. Skin prick testing contributes to the diagnosis of allergic diseases and assessment of allergic reactions to aeroallergens in children with wheezing.

Asthma ; etiology ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Sounds ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Skin Tests

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Rhinitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Sinusitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

Porcine pancreatic extracts (PPE), which are widely used as a digestive drug in Korea, are composed of alpha-amylase and lipase. Such enzymes are commonly described as occupational allergens. This is the first report of occupational rhinitis caused by PPE developing into occupational asthma in a hospital nurse. She showed strong positive response in the skin prick test (SPT) (5+, wheal ratio of allergen to histamine) and had a high serum-specific IgE level to PPE, but showed a negative response in the methacholine bronchial challenge test (MBT). She had been exposed to PPE intermittently with intermittent medications for rhinitis. Two years later, she presented with rhinitis and additional asthmatic symptoms. In contrast to her first visit, she showed a positive response in the MBT, and developed bronchoconstriction in the PPE-bronchial provocation test (BPT). These findings suggest that inhalation of PPE powder can induce IgE-mediated occupational rhinitis in a hospital setting, which will develop into occupational asthma if avoidance is not complete.
Adult ; Animals ; Asthma/*diagnosis/etiology ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Agents/adverse effects ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/metabolism ; Methacholine Chloride/pharmacology ; Occupational Diseases/*diagnosis/etiology ; Pancreatic Extracts/*adverse effects ; Powders ; Rhinitis/*diagnosis/etiology ; Skin Tests ; Swine

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Rhinitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Sinusitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVE: Discuss the clinical features and the disease curing methods for the chronic cough caused by postnasal drip syndrome. METHOD: One hundred and twelve patients who were diagnosed with postnasal drip syndrome were given systemic cure such as giving antibiotics, adopt a decongestant, part system using decongestion and glucocorticoid, improving the sticky film cilium function. RESULT: All above follow-up of one hundred and twelve example patients three months. With subjectivity, if symptoms improve action appraises an index, cough of ninety-nine cases had different improve. Thirteen cases did not feel their symptom improve obviously. Have efficiency amounting to 88%. CONCLUSION Although the cause of postnasal drip syndrome is complicated. Cough is an important clinical feature of postnasal drip syndrome. It will get ideal therapeutic efficacy if cured by systemic medication.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Syndrome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between serum specific immunoglobin E(sIgE) and skin prick test(SPT) and their differences of the positive rate. METHOD: One hundred and nine patients with allergic rhinitis were detected the serum slgE. The patients had positive symptoms and signs, positive SPT results with at least one allergen. RESULT: Specific IgE and SPT results of Dp,Df and Artemisia showed a positive correlation (r = 0.520, 0.4413, 0.764, P < 0.01). sIgE positive rates were 55.0%, 54.1% and 17.4% for Dp, Df and Artemisia respectively, whereas SPT positive rates were 68.8%,79.8% and 27.5% respectively. The difference between the positive rates of the sIgE and SPT was significant (chi2 = 27.93,18. 20,60. 60, are P< 0.01). CONCLUSION There was a good correlation between specific IgE and SPT. SPT is more sensitive than sIgE, but SPT can not substitute for slgE,vice versa.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens ; analysis ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Child ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult