Etiology and clinical feature of oral allergy syndrome in children

PURPOSE: Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is a unique allergic reaction to fresh fruits or vegetables, which is caused by cross-reactivity between foods and pollens. This study was conducted to investigate the clinical feature of OAS and relevant pollen allergens as well as the association between them in Korean children. METHODS: This single-center study included 290 children who were sensitized to pollens at Severance Hospital, and the clinical characteristics of children with and without OAS were compared. A multicenter study included 97 children who were diagnosed with OAS at 3 hospitals between January 2008 and June 2014. The details of clinical features were collected by retrospective medical record reviews using a standardized case report form. The relevant pollen allergens were identified by skin prick tests and/or serum specific IgE levels. RESULTS: The most commonly sensitized allergen was Japanese hop in pollen-sensitized children. Children with OAS were most commonly sensitized to birch and oak, and 12.4% of the pollen-sensitized children had OAS in the single center. The number of children who were newly diagnosed with OAS has increased over the past 7 years. The most common causative food of OAS was apple. More than 60% of patients with OAS had oral allergic reactions to multiple foods. CONCLUSION: OAS may be relatively common in pollen-sensitized children. OAS should be considered in children with allergic disease and sensitization to pollens.

Multicenter Survey on the Economic Burden of Pediatric Allergic Rhinitis / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis is rapidly increasing and results in relatively high socio-economic burden on their family and community. However, studies on the economic burden of pediatric allergic rhinitis in Korea are limited. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the impact of pediatric allergic rhinitis on economic burden. METHODS: Two hundred sixty two children with allergic rhinitis were enrolled in 6 secondary or tertiary medical centers in Seoul from July to September, 2008. We collected data of the economic burden of allergic rhinitis (direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs, and indirect costs) by face to face questionnaire survey. We compared the economic burden according to the severity and the duration of allergic rhinitis. RESULTS: The mean age of subjects was 6.54 years, and male were 174 (66.4%). Direct medical costs (10,000 Korean Won/yr) were 177.75, and direct nonmedical costs were 57.92. Although, there was no statistical significance, direct medical costs showed increasing trends in severe allergic rhinitis.(P=0.053) In addition, direct medical costs were positively correlated with duration of allergic rhinitis.(R=0.195, P=0.002). About 17% of the parents who care the allergic rhinitis children experienced the work absence due to their child's illness. CONCLUSION: The economic burdens of allergic rhinitis were positively correlated with the severity and duration of illness. Particularly costs for alternative medicine including oriental medicine were related with severity and duration allergic rhinitis. Therefore, special efforts for education with evidence based treatment strategy are necessary to decrease the economic burden of allergic rhinitis.