Relationship between Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma in High School Students in Korea / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether allergic rhinitis (AR) without asthma is associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and symptoms of asthma in Korean adolescents. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 724 high school students (males 556; females, 168) from Seoul City. We also performed the lung function test, methacholine challenge test, skin prick test, and allergy-related blood biomarkers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the subjects excluding current asthmatic patients. RESULTS: AR (+), BHR (+) patients tended to show a high prevalence of wheeze ever, a high diagnosis rate of asthma ever, low forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)), low forced expiratory flow at the 25% and 75% of pulmonary volume (FEF(25-75%)) high total IgE and frequent sensitizaion to house dust mites compared with AR (-), BHR (-) patients. In atopy AR (+) group, wheeze ever and treatment of asthma during the last 12 months were significantly higher than atopy (-), AR (-) patients or atopy (+), AR (-) patients (P<0.05). In atopy (+), AR (+) patients, BHR and peripheral eosinophil percent were significantly higher than in other patients (P<0.05) and PC(20) was also significantly lower than in other patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: BHR in current AR was associated with FEV(1), FEF(25-75%), total IgE, and sensitization to house dust mites. Current AR was associated with symptoms of asthma, peripheral eosinophilia and BHR, regardless of atopy. This study showed a significant association between allergic rhinitis and asthma or BHR among Korean adolescents. This cross-sectional study supports the concept of 'one airway, one disease' between the AR and asthma.

The Relation of Overweight to Asthma and Other Allergic Diseases in High School Students in Korea / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: The worldwide prevalence of obesity and allergic diseases has increased. We aimed to explore the relation of overweight to asthma, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis in a sample of Korean adolescents. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and other allergic diseases by using a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. The survey was conducted among 1,499 high school students in 3 regions of Korea. RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of wheezing (21.2% vs. 15.7%, P = 0.04), the 12 months-prevalence of wheezing (4.5% vs. 2.0%, P = 0.04), exercise induced wheezing (13.8% vs. 9.3%, P = 0.04), treatment of asthma (3.3% vs. 1.1%, P = 0.01) and the prevalence of symptoms of allergic rhinitis (11.0% vs. 5.1%, P = 0.001) were signifi cantly higher in overweight boys than normal weight boys, but not in girls. However, there were no signifi cant differences of the prevalence of symptoms and past history of atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis between overweight and normal weight groups. In boys, overweight increased the risk of the lifetime prevalence of wheezing (OR 1.54, 95% CI: 1.05-2.24) and 12 months-prevalence of exercise induced wheezing (OR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.05-2.55) after adjusting for confounding variables. CONCLUSION: Overweight could be a risk factor for the development of symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis in adolescent boys, whereas it was not a signifi cant risk factor for allergic diseases in girls.

Urine Cotinine and Environmental Tobacco Exposure in Korean Adolescents / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and the urine cotinine concentrations in Korean adolescents. METHODS: The study population was 1st grade high school adolescents (n = 1467, girls 22.2%) recruited from four high schools, two from Seoul, one from Kangleung and one from Woolsan. We obtained information on active smoking and ETS exposure through self-reported questionnaire and urine cotinine concentrations. RESULTS: The prevalence of active smoking was 6.9% in boys and 0.9% in girls. Median urine cotinine concentrations were 19.5 microgram/L (range, 0-2341 microgram/L) among smokers, and 0 microgram/L (range, 0-1359 microgram/L) among nonsmokers. The positive rate of urine cotinine among nonsmokers exposed to ETS was 2.9%. Boys were exposed to ETS in the order of frequency in PC room (79.6%), home (39.4%), school (11.5%), and public places (5.9%); girls were exposed in the order of frequency in home (40.9%), PC room (33.2%), public places (28.0%), and school (15.2%). The frequency and duration of ETS exposure were significantly larger and longer in boys than in girls. Boys contacted friends who smoked more than girls did (32.6% vs. 17.1%). Parents; smoking status was similar both in boys and girls. Any information on ETS exposure did not differ according to the detectable urine cotinine among nonsmoking adolescents. CONCLUSION: Low positive rate of urine cotinine and no association of urine cotinine with various ETS exposure history reflect that urine cotinine may not be a good marker for ETS exposure in Korean adolescents.

The Classification between IgE and Non-IgE Mediated Atopic Dermatitis in Korean Children / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

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), 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.