ABSTRACT
Cova da Beira is an interior central region of Portugal, with a population of 93,000 inhabitants. The first pollen counts performed in Portugal revealed the highest values of the country in this area. The aim of this study was to assess the aeroallergens sensitization in an allergic population, according to the age groups. In a 5 year period (1995-2000) 1790 consecutive outpatients were observed for suspected allergic symptoms. We included in this study all the 557 paediatric (< or = 15 years old) observed patients (317 male (57%) and 240 female (43%) with an average age of 7.6 < or = 4.2 years old). They were divided in three age groups (Group I: < or = 5 yr; Group II: 6-10 yr; Group III: 11-15 yr). 371 patients were submitted to skin prick tests to aeroallergens. 86.5% of these patients were sensitised to at least one allergen extract. The most representative aeroallergens sensitization were grasses mixture (44.9%), D. pteronyssinus (32.5%), D. farinae (29.1%), Olea europea (27.5%), Parietaria judaica (23.4%), cat dander (16.1%), Artemisia vulgaris (17.6%), Robinia pseudoacacia (12.2%), Platanus acerifolia (11.4%), Tilia cordata (11.4%) moulds mixture (11.2%), Plantago lanceolata (10.6%), dog dander (10.4%), and Pinus radiata (7.5%). The sensitisation to indoor aeroallergens, was similar in all age groups and it was less important than that of pollens. The prevalence of sensitisation to grasses was the greatest in all ages and the house dust mites sensitization was the second most prevalent. The highest pollens counts in this region could explain the early sensitisation even in young children.
Subject(s)
Allergens/immunology , Respiratory Hypersensitivity/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Air , Allergens/adverse effects , Allergens/classification , Animals , Cats , Child , Child, Preschool , Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus/immunology , Dogs , Female , Fungi , Hair , Humans , Male , Poaceae , Pollen , Portugal/epidemiology , Prevalence , Respiratory Hypersensitivity/etiology , Skin Tests , TreesABSTRACT
Cova da Beira is an interior central region of Portugal, with a population of 93000 inhabitants divided in urban and rural living areas. The aim of this study was to access the prevalence of aeroallergens sensitisation in an allergic population, according to the urban and the rural environmental exposure and according to age. 1096 patients observed for suspected allergic symptoms, for a five-year period (1995-2000) were submitted to skin prick tests and were included in this study. They were divided in two environmental exposure groups (A: urban; B: rural) and in to four age subgroups (subgroup I: < or = 10yr; subgroup II: 11-20yr; subgroup III: 21-40yr; subgroup IV: >40yr). The total population included 444 male (40.5%) and 652 female (59.4%) with an average age of 26.5 +/- 17.2 yr. 83% of the 1096 performed SPT were positive. The frequency of aeroallergens sensitisation, comparing the urban versus the rural environment, was respectively: D. pteronyssinus 32% and 34.7%, D. farinae 28.5% and 30.7%, moulds mixture 15.3% and 12%, cat dander 17.1% and 15.2%, dog dander 11% and 10%, grasses mixture 51.3% and 36.4%, Parietaria judaica 29.4% and 14%, Olea europea 30.2% and 23.3%. The sensitisation to indoor aeroallergens, was similar in all the age subgroups and it was lower than that to pollens. There were important differences concerning the pollen sensitisation, when comparing the urban and the rural environmental exposure. We admit that pollution could enhance the sensitisation to pollens in the urban environment.
