OBJECTIVE: To explore the distribution of allergen tested by skin prick test (SPT) in about 5,843 allergic rhinitis patients in south Shanghai. METHOD: SPT test was conducted in 5,843 allergic rhinitis patients who came to our clinic from January 2007 to August 2012. The result was analyzed by age, sex and year. RESULT: The top three allergens by percentage are dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, dermatophagoides culinae and fungus among 15 common allergens. Incidence rate between male and female in each year had statistical significance, both of which showed no increasing trend with year. Incidence rates among different age groups aging from 6 to 17 years' old had no statistically significant difference, but statistically significant difference among different age groups existed in other age groups. Incidence rate showed increasing trend with year in age group of 40-65, which was not observed in other groups. The incidence rate showed decreasing trend with age in male and female, while the incidence rate in male was always higher than female. CONCLUSION In south Shanghai, primary allergens causing allergic rhinitis are dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, dermatophagoides culinae and fungus. Statistically significant difference about allergic rhinitis existed in age and sex. SPT has important significance in diagnosis of allergens.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Allergens ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis in Yichang, so that to find common allergens of Yichang and to provide statistic basis for a reasonable prevention and treatment to allergic rhinitis. METHOD: 1,979 patients with allergic rhinitis in Yichang were detected for allergens by skin prick test and the distribution of positive rates to inhaled allergens was compared between different genders and ages. RESULT: 1,545 (78.1%) of 1,979 suspected allergic rhinitis patients presented positive reaction. The positive rate in male was significantly higher than in female, and that in juvenile group was significantly higher than in adults. Among positive cases in inhalation group, the most common allergen was flour mite (80.4%), followed by house dust mite (64.9%), cockroach (13.3%) and artemisia pollen (8.2%). CONCLUSION The study shows that the flour mite and house dust mite are the most common inhaled allergens causing allergic rhinitis in Yichang. We should pay more attention to the prevention and treatment for the juvenile patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: In order provide important evidences for epidemiologic survey, clinical diagnosis, treatment and preservation of allergic diseases in this area, we investigate the distribution of the common allergens in allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma in Jingmen area and the sensitization condition of the major allergen house dust mite. METHOD: Four hundred and twenty-five patients with suspected allergic rhinitis and asthma in our area accepted skin prick tests of 10 standard allergen agents and specificity IgE detection. The different positivity ratios of allergens in different age groups were compared and the correlation between the two different technique methods testing the dust mite allergen was analyzed. RESULT: Among 425 patients with suspected allergic rhinitis and asthma in our area, 298 patients were positive and 89 patients suffered a combined allergic asthma. House dust mite (292 cases) and dermatophagoides farinae (289 cases) were the commonest allergens. The other common allergens were mugwort (45), ragweed (31), fungus I (19), fungus II (15), spring-pollen II (14), poly-animal hair (14), spring-pollen I (9), poly-feather (3). There was a correlation between skin test and sIgE test for house dust mite, dermatophagoides farinae in children group, and the positivity ratios were significantly higher than the adults group. CONCLUSION Dust mite is the most important allergen in allergic rhinitis and asthma in Jingmen.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Allergens ; analysis ; immunology ; Animals ; Asthma ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To understand the distribution of allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Quanzhou, for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment. METHOD: Twenty standardized allergen underwent skin prick testing (skin prick test, SPT) were used for 1236 patients with suspected AR patients in Quanzhou, and the different age, gender and severity in patients with allergen distribution differences of positive rate were analyzed. RESULT: The top 5 allergens with positive skin tests were D. pteronyssinus (66.7%), D. farinae (65.5%), Blattodea (32.8%), Sea crab (18.2%), and Sea lobster (16.8%). The positive rate of SPT in the minor groups and adult groups had significant difference (P < 0.05). Gender difference between the positive rate of SPT had no significant difference (P > 0.05). There was significant difference between the positive rate in patients with a family history and history of asthma and patients without above two history (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Dust Mite, Blattodea, Sea crab. Sea lobster are the most important allergens in quanzhou. Different ages of the patients with SPT positive rates vary, a family history, history of asthma patients with positive rate is higher than patients without a family history of asthma history, high positive rate.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens ; analysis ; immunology ; Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathogenesis of the patients with allergic rhinitis diagnosed by Skin Prick Test (SPT), especially about the epidemiologic data of the involved allergens. METHOD: The data was collected from 958 patients referred to the listed three allergy center and subsequently diagnosed as allergic rhinitis by SPT. RESULT: The intermittent mild type was more prevalent in male patients (40.5%); comparably the intermittent moderate type in female patients (70.0%); in the infant patients the moderate-severe type dominated (73.7%). The positive results of SPT comprised mainly of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der. p, 98.3%), Dermatophagoides farinae(Der. f, 96.8%), and Blomia tropicalis (Blot, 73.8%). Only 1.7% of the patients was allergic to single allergen, in contrary ,the majority of patients were allergic to multiple allergens. The positive rate to Der. p and Der. f was reversely increasing with age of the patients; and contrarily the number of positive allergens was increasing along with the age of the patients. The allergy to outdoor allergen was less common, and the positive rate in skin prick test was lower than the previously reported rate in North China ,such as timothy (3.9%), birch (2.7%), ragweed (2.0%), and mugwort (1.2%). CONCLUSION Dust Mite is the predominant allergen for patients with allergic rhinitis in Guangdong province; and the positive rate to outdoor allergen is lower than that in North China.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Allergens ; analysis ; immunology ; Animals ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; analysis ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cohort Studies ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mites ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We sought to increase our understanding of the rhinitis-asthma relationship and improve strategies for the treatment of patients with these diseases. The aim of this study was to identify a connection between upper airway inflammation and lower airway responsiveness. METHODS: We counted eosinophils on nasal smears, and performed spirometry, allergic skin tests, and methacholine challenge tests in 308 schoolchildren plus a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. The methacholine concentration causing a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (PC20 < 25 mg/mL) was used as the threshold of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). RESULTS: In total, 26% of subjects had positive nasal eosinophils on a smear, and 46.2% of subjects had BHR at < 25 mg/mL methacholine PC20. Nasal symptoms were higher in subjects with than without nasal eosinophils (p = 0.012). Asthma symptoms did not differ between subjects with and without nasal eosinophils. Nasal eosinophils were higher in subjects with atopy than those without (p = 0.006), and there was no difference in PC20 methacholine according to atopy (15.5 +/- 1.07 vs. 17.5 +/- 0.62; p > 0.05). No difference in BHR was detected when comparing subjects with and without nasal eosinophils. There were significant differences in the PC20 between subjects with greater than 50% nasal eosinophils and without nasal eosinophils (11.01 +/- 2.92 mg/mL vs. 17.38 +/- 0.61 mg/mL; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that nasal eosinophilic inflammation might contribute to lower airway responsiveness in schoolchildren, based on an epidemiological survey.
Adolescent ; Age Distribution ; Age Factors ; Asthma/diagnosis/*epidemiology/physiopathology ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity/diagnosis/*enzymology/physiopathology ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Child ; Eosinophilia/diagnosis/*epidemiology/immunology ; Eosinophils/immunology ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Intradermal Tests ; Leukocyte Count ; Lung/*physiopathology ; Male ; Nasal Mucosa/*immunology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Rhinitis/diagnosis/*epidemiology/immunology ; Spirometry ; Surveys and Questionnaires