Clinical Statistical Study on Offending Allergens of Patients with Allergic Rhinitis: Prevalence of Multiple Sensitization / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The incidence of allergic rhinitis and the kinds of offending allergens in our environment are varying as the way of life changes with urbanization and industrialization. Therefore, knowledge of the relationship between allergic rhinitis and the offending allergen is crucial for therapeutic judgment. The purpose of this study was to find out the incidence and distribution of offending allergens and investigate the prevalence of multiple sensitization on patients with allergic rhinitis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Allergic skin test and multiple allergosorbent chemiluminescent assay (MAST-CLA) was performed for 1, 705 allergic rhinitis patients from Jan. 1998 to Dec. 2001 at the allergy clinic, Kyung Hee university Hospital. and a retrospective study was done by reviewing the result. RESULTS: Common offending allergens were Dermatopgagoides farinae (D. farinae), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus), various pollens, dog hair, cockroach, and cat hair. Common offending seasonal allergens were ragweed, mugwort, rye, timothy grass, and Bermuda grass. The most common combination of allergens was mites with animal danders. Nineteen point three percent of the patients were sensitized to both perennial and seasonal type of allergens. Thirty point eight percent of patients with PAR (perennial allergic rhinitis) and 66.7% of patients with SAR (seasonal allergic rhinitis) were sensitized to multiple allergen. The prevalence of mixed sensitization to both perennial and seasonal allergen is 19.3% in allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of multiple sensitization in allergic rhinitis is 52.7%.