Sensibilisierungsstatus bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Heuschnupfen und anderen atopischen Erkrankungen

Abstract

The dependencies between sensitization to common allergens (mono- and polysensitization, IgE level and patterns) and symptomatic hay fever and other atopic diseases, respectively, in children and adolescents are shown in this analysis. The evaluation was based on the KiGGS (“Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurvey”) study. Our analysis was performed using complex samples methods with SPSS. Participants were interviewed by a physician using a validated questionnaire asking for atopic diseases and symptoms. Specific IgE levels were measured from the age of 3 years on by using the ImmunoCap® test system. The prevalences of hay fever and polysensitizations both significantly increase with increasing age of the participants, while boys are more often affected than girls and migrants less often regarding sensitizations. Prevalence of hay fever decreases with increasing number of older siblings and increases with atopy of one or both parents. Different positive correlations between increasing IgE levels and hay fever were identified, the greatest association was observed with herbal inhalative allergens and cross-reacting food allergens. Lowest IgE levels to nearly all of the tested allergens show a positive correlation with hay fever prevalence. In conclusion, the study indicates that the clinical definition of the lowest positive IgE levels as “marginal” should be discussed as well as indications for specific immunotherapy.