Prevalence Study About Allergic Conjunctivitis in Third and Fourth Grade Elementary School Children

Abstract

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of allergic conjuctivitis among Korean school-age childrenas well as to assess the difference between residential areas in Jeju island.Method : 631 children of 3rd and 4th grade elementary school from six elementary schools in Jeju island were recruited.Participants filled out questionnaires on allergic conjunctivitis symptoms. Diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis was diagnosed whenslit-lamp examination of conjunctival injection and conjunctival papilla were observed. Europe mites, Humulus japonicus, CitrusRed Mite, Japanese cedar on the skin prick test were performed. Segment netrophill, lymphocyte, eosinophil, basophil, ECP,total IgE allergy blood tests were performed. One-way ANOVA test was carried out to assess difference of allergic conjunctivitisprevalence between each school. Bivariate Pearson correlation analysis about allergic conjunctivitis and blood test and skinprick test results was made.Results : The overall prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in the 10-11 year-old children was 18.8% (95% confidence interval;17.1~20.5%). The mean prevalence of each subgroup was 15.3% (N=359) in north area, 36.3% (N=80) in west area, 10.6%(N=45) in east area, and 20.1% (N=147) in south area. Prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in Jeju island was statisticallysignificant for each regional group. For allergic conjunctivitis, skin prick test and blood tests showed no significant correlation.Conclusion : This study was able to confirm the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in third and fourth grade of elementaryschool students in Jeju for the first time. The overall prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis (18.8%) was similar with other previousreports carried on Koreans childhood residents. This study was based on slit lamp examination findings, which was uniquefindings compared with previous studies based on questionnaires.