Pattern of skin sensitivity to various aeroallergens in patients of bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis in India

Abstract

Nine hundred and eighteen patients with bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis including 548 (59.69%) males and 370 (40.31%) females with a mean age of 30.10 years were studied for skin sensitivity to various aeroallergens by skin prick test. The maximum numbers of patients (261; 28.43%) were between age group of 20 to 29 years. Patients diagnosed with bronchial asthma were 191 (20.81%), allergic rhinitis were 305 (33.22%), and both bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis were 422 (45.97%). Significant skin positive reactions (2+ and above) were found in 657 (71.57%) subjects, which included 130 (14.16%) of bronchial asthma patients, 208 (22.66%) of allergic rhinitis patients, and 319 (34.75%) of both. The younger adults aged 20-29 years were the most commonly affected group with 197 (21.46%) significant skin positive patients. Insects (43.90%) followed by various types of weed pollens (21.79%), tree pollens (15.14%), dust (14.49%), house dust mite (12.42%), fungal spores (11.98%), grass pollens (7.73%), kapok cotton (2.18%), silk (1.31%), and wool (0.76%) were the offending allergens. Among individual allergens, most common aeroallergen was moth (33%), and least common was ehretia (0.54%). Among grass pollens, Cynodon (3.05%) was most common, and least common grass pollen aeroallergen was Pennisetum (1.74%). Among weed pollens, Ageratum (5.45%) was most common, and least common was Chenopodium album (1.53%). Among tree pollens, Holoptelia (5.01%), was most common, and least common was Ehretia (0.54%). Among dust, the wheat dust (8.28%) was the most common, followed by house dust (7.08%), and least common was paper dust (1.53%). Among the fungal spores, Aspergillus fumigatus (4.25%) were the most common, and least common was Candida (1.09%). Among insects, moth (33%) followed by mosquito (31.92%) were the most common, and least common was rice weevil (12.75%). When compared with the pattern of our study, there was significantly increased in sensitization to various allergens.