Prevalence Of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Research Articles

Nine-Year Trend in the Prevalence of Allergic Diseases and Their Associated Factors in Young Adults

Introduction: Notably, few studies have evaluated the recent changes in the prevalence of allergic diseases in young adults. Studies examining the risk of allergy in two populations with similar social backgrounds, other than the region in which they live, are rare. Methods: First-year students from Hokkaido University were enrolled in this study between 2011 and 2019. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the annual prevalence of current wheeze, seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) in nonsmoking young adults. Trends in the presence of these disease conditions were evaluated based on their hometowns (Hokkaido and outside Hokkaido separately) due to the low prevalence of cedar pollen allergies in Hokkaido. The association between these disease conditions and body mass index (BMI) was also assessed. Results: The prevalence of current wheeze and PAR food allergies did not change in both regions. SAR showed a significantly increasing trend; however, the prevalence of SAR was higher among those whose place of origin was not Hokkaido. Current wheeze was positively associated with obesity (p < 0.05), whereas the high prevalence of SAR was not associated with body weight. In contrast, a lean body type was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of PAR (p < 0.05). Discussion/Conclusion: The prevalence of current wheeze was stable and that of PAR has decreased over the past 9 years. However, the prevalence of SAR in Hokkaido has been increasing in Japanese young adults. A differential association between current wheeze and BMI was observed when comparing PAR and SAR.

Regional differences in the prevalence of oral allergy syndrome among Japanese children: A questionnaire-based survey.

Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is characterized by an immediate allergic reaction that mainly or partially affects the oral mucosa, pharynx, or lips, and it is usually caused by ingesting fresh fruits or vegetables. Most patients with OAS also have allergic rhinitis due to pollen. As allergic rhinitis is increasingly prevalent in the Japanese population and the age at disease development is decreasing, morbidity associated with OAS among the younger population is likely to increase. However, there is little information about the prevalence of this disease among Japanese children, specifically the influences of residency in regions with different environments. To investigate the prevalence of OAS and seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) among Japanese children and evaluate the relationship between OAS and SAR. We administered a questionnaire-based survey among children aged 7-15 years, living in 4 cities in central Japan. The questionnaires were administered to 4103 children and completed by 3365 (82.0%). Overall, 524 children (15.6%) reported OAS-like symptoms after ingesting fruits or vegetables. The prevalence of seasonal SAR and oral symptoms significantly differed among the 4 cities. The total prevalence of oral symptoms co-occurring with SAR was 24.4%, which was significantly higher than the prevalence of symptoms occurring without SAR (10.2%, p < 0.001). Herein, oral symptoms were more likely to occur in patients with SAR than in those without SAR. The prevalence of SAR and food-induced oral symptoms significantly differed among the regions, suggesting they might be affected by regional differences in lifestyles and flora.

Характеристика особливостей клініко-діагностичних аспектів сезонного алергічного риніту в дітей Полтавського регіону

The high prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) among children continues to rise steadily. However, there is not only an increase in the frequency of allergy, as an independent nosology, but also its combination with other atopic diseases. It should be noted that the comorbidity of SAR with asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis significantly impairs the daily activities and quality of children’s life. Purpose - to study the peculiarities of seasonal allergic rhinitis in children on the background of comorbidities depending on the age of the patient and to analyze the structure of pollen sensitization taking into account the retrospective results of skin allergy testing. Materials and methods. For a retrospective study, 890 case histories of children with SAR aged 3-15 years from 2010 to 2020 were selected and analyzed. The inclusion criteria were children with positive skin allergy testing for at least one pollen allergen in the test panel. During the analysis, patients were divided into three age subgroups: preschool children (3-6 years), primary school age (7-10 years) and middle school age (11-15 years). Results. Our results show that the comorbidity of SAR depended in some ways on the age of the child. Thus, among children of the first group the combination of SAR with recurrent obstructive bronchitis and atopic dermatitis was mostly often registered, while in patients of the second and the third groups - with allergic conjunctivitis and asthma. It was also found that the clinical picture of the disease did not differ significantly from the patient’s age and was characterized by moderate severity of allergic rhinitis. The study of the spectrum of sensitization to pollen allergens revealed a significant prevalence of children with hypersensitivity to ragweed allergen. It was found that more than a third of preschool and primary school children were also more likely to be sensitive to wormwood and corn, while middle school children - timothy, fescue, wormwood, ryegrass and cyclachaena. Conclusions. Therefore, the study allowed to establish the features of the clinical course, severity, combination of SAR with other diseases and identify the most etiologically significant pollen allergens, which are a priority in the occurrence of seasonal allergic rhinitis in children of Poltava region. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local ethics committee of all participating institutions. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors. Key words: children; seasonal allergic rhinitis; clinical and diagnostic features; sensitization spectrum.

Epidemiological investigation of allergic rhinitis in central cities and countrysides of Inner Mongolia region

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) in 3 central cities (Chifeng, Hohhot, Ordos) and the surrounding rural areas of Inner Mongolia region, and to look for possible risk factors related to the disease. Methods: From March to October of 2019, a multi-stage stratified random sampling epidemiological survey was conducted in Chifeng, Hohhot, Ordos and rural areas. The AR-related factors of the population were obtained in the form of face-to-face questionnaire survey, and the skin prick test (SPT) was taken for the participants. AR disease was diagnosed according to the "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis (2015, Tianjin)". The daily airborne pollen situation in the three regions was monitored during the same period. SPSS 23.0 was used to analyze all survey results. Results: A total of 6 818 questionnaires were recovered, with 6 393 valid questionnaires. The self-reported prevalence of AR was 27.72% (1 772/6 393) and the confirmed prevalence of AR was 17.10% (1 093/6 393). The prevalence of perennial AR was 1.83% (117/6 393) while the prevalence of seasonal AR was 15.27% (976/6 393). The prevalence of AR diagnosed in females was higher than that in males (19.19% vs 15.34%, χ²=16.594, P<0.001) and the prevalence of females in the two age groups of 36-45 years and 46-55 years was significantly higher than that of males (18.17% vs 9.73%, 14.13% vs 7.25%, χ2 value was 23.848, 18.772, respectively, all P<0.001). The prevalence of confirmed diagnoses in ethnic minorities was higher than that of Han nationality, and the prevalence of confirmed diagnoses in urban areas was higher than that in rural areas (23.13% vs 16.20%, 27.27% vs 9.71%, χ2 value was 24.516, 336.024, respectively, all P<0.001). The main nasal symptoms of AR patients were sneezing (91.31%), nasal congestion (85.91%) and nasal itching (85.00%). The most common concomitant disease of AR was allergic conjunctivitis (73.99%). Asthma (OR=6.629), food allergy (OR=3.236), drug allergy (OR=1.786), application of antibiotics (OR=1.553), recent home decoration (OR=2.307), and smoking (OR=1.322) were the AR related risk factors. The highest proportion of SPT positive reactions was Artemisia annua (80.15%). The peak period of clinical symptoms of AR patients in Inner Mongolia region was July to September, which was consistent with the second peak period of airborne pollen monitoring. Conclusions: The prevalence of AR in central cities and the surrounding rural areas of Inner Mongolia region is 17.10%, and Artemisia species is the most important pollen allergen in this area. History of asthma, food allergy, drug allergy, antibiotic use, home decoration and smoking history are the related risk factors for AR.

Pollen allergen sensitization feature of seasonal allergic rhinitis in children and adolescents in northern China

Objective:The prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis（SAR） is high in children and adolescents population. The aim of this study is to explore the feature of pollen allergen sensitization of SAR in children and adolescents . Method:Children and adolescents with self-reported seasonal allergic rhinitis in an allergy center of a tertiary hospital were enrolled and received skin prick test（SPT） of 13 common pollen allergens. SAR was defined with positive SPT to any pollen allergen. SPSS software was applied to analyze the differences in age, gender, sensitization pattern. Result:In total, 374（85.6%） SAR cases with self-reported seasonal allergic rhinitis were enrolled,including 213 males （57%） and 161 females （43%）. There are 198 children （2-12 years old） and 176 adolescents （13-17 years old）. The highest sensitization rate was presented in Chenopodium （73.8%） , Humulus（67.6%） and Artemisia （64.7%）.The severe sensitization was presented in Artemisia（53.7%）, Humulus（46.8%） and Chenopodium （42.0%）. No gender difference was found among different pollen allergens and sensitization patterns（P>0.05）. No age difference was found between different pollen allergens and sensitization patterns except that Cupressaceae was higher in adolescent group than that in children group（55.1% vs 42.9%, P=0.023）. Poly-sensitization rate was 57.2% in tree pollens, 59.6% in weed pollens and 81.3% in total. Significant correlation was found among different tree pollens and weed pollens（P<0.01）. Tree pollen sensitization was significantly correlated with weed pollens except Cupressaceae（P<0.01）. The mono-sensitization rate is low in all 4 weed pollen allergens ranged from 1% to 8% while 49.2% of SAR patients were allergic to all of the 4 weed pollen allergens. Conclusion:The prevalent pollen allergens in SAR were similar in children and adolescent comparing to adults. No obvious gender and age differences were found. An extensive co-sensitizations were found among pollens especially in weed pollens.

At-a-glance - Pollens, climate and allergies: Quebec initiatives.

Pollen allergies are a major source of seasonal allergic rhinitis in North America. This type of rhinitis affects 17% of adults in Quebec, a marked increase in the last 30 years. Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) pollens are responsible for 50% to 90% of rhinitis cases. Climate change has played a significant role in the increased prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis over the last few decades. In 2015, the Quebec government put in place a strategy to tackle this problem, the Stratégie québécoise de réduction de l'herbe à poux et des autres pollens allergènes [Quebec strategy to reduce ragweed and other allergenic pollens]. Based on solid evidence, the Strategy advocates for co-operation between stakeholders and the integration of control measures into the maintenance practices of municipalities and other large public and private landowners. This article presents the scientific data underpinning the Strategy and initial successes of the action taken under the Strategy.

Comparative Study of Apo-Cetirizine Single Therapy and Intermittent Sequential Therapy with Cetirizine, Loratadine and Chlorpheniramine in Allergic Rhinitis.

There are limited numbers of articles, studying combined use of antihistamines. In this study, we compare single therapy of Apo-Cetirizine with a new regimen of intermittent sequential therapy with cetirizine, loratadine and chlorpheniramine in treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. This randomized clinical trial was performed between April and September at the peak prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis. Fifty-four eligible patients diagnosed clinically to have seasonal allergic rhinitis were randomized in two groups: 24 cases in single therapy arm, received Apo-Cetirizine 10mg tablet daily and in other arm, 30 patients received sequential regimen of cetirizine 10mg tablet, loratadine 10mg tablet and chlorpheniramine 4mg tablet, one tablet each day. Major Symptom Complex Score (MSCS) and Total Symptom Complex Score (TSCS) of patients were recorded before treatment and after 30days of treatment in two groups. The average post-treatment MSCS and TSCS in combination therapy group showed better improvement than single therapy group but difference was not statistically significant (p value=0.053 and p value=0.104 respectively). Combination therapy regimen was better in improvement of nasal congestion (p value=0.006). There were no significant difference between two groups in efficacy, side effects and patient's satisfaction. Combination therapy would be effective on a wide spectrum of symptoms with lower price and theoretically offers lower chance of tolerance and re-appearance of complaints.

Once-Daily Cetirizine Is Safe and Effective for Children with Allergic Rhinitis with and without Intermittent Asthma

The prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis among 1 to 12 year olds is between 10% and 20%. Cetirizine is a selective, once-daily H1 antagonist approved for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis, perennial allergic rhinitis, and chronic idiopathic urticaria in adults and children 2 years and older, and was recently approved for the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria in children down to 6 months of age. This randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 172 children with seasonal allergic rhinitis, including a large subgroup with concomitant asthma. Cetirizine syrup or placebo were administered for 2 weeks. Cetirizine 10 mg once daily provided significant relief from symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, both in children with and without concomitant asthma. Among subjects with asthma, the frequency and severity of asthma symptoms were similar between the cetirizine and placebo groups. Cetirizine caused no adverse effects on pulmonary function in subjects with concomitant asthma. This study builds on previously reported data describing the safety and efficacy of cetirizine in infants as young as 6 months, and indicates that cetirizine is safe, tolerable, and effective for controlling the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in children aged 6-11 years, including those with concomitant, intermittent asthma.

Association of seasonal allergic rhinitis is high in Graves' disease and low in painless thyroiditis.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is thought to be a T-helper cell type 1 (TH1)-dependent disease, but it is not clear whether Graves' disease is T-helper cell type 2 (TH2)-predominant or not. TH1-predominant diseases are infrequently and TH2-predominant diseases are frequently associated with allergic diseases. We examined the prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis to Japanese cedar pollen, a typical TH2-associated disease, in patients with Graves' disease (n = 126), painless thyroiditis (n = 46) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n = 88), and compared them to healthy controls (n = 766). Gender and age distribution were not different among patient groups and healthy controls, except for the higher age of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis was significantly high in patients with Graves' disease (42.9%, p < 0.05) and low in patients with painless thyroiditis (13.0%, p < 0.01) but was not different in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (26.1%) compared to that of healthy controls (32.6%). When patients with painless thyroiditis were included in Hashimoto's thyroiditis group, the prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis was 21.6% and significantly different from that of healthy controls (p < 0.05). These data indicate that Graves' disease is TH2 predominant and painless thyroiditis is a TH1-predominant disease. Our findings suggest that the shift from TH2 toward TH1 immunogenesis may be important for achieving earlier remission of Graves' disease.

Beyond our pages

Beyond our pages

Patient and physician perspectives on the impact and management of perennial and seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Patient and physician perspectives on the impact and management of perennial (PAR) and seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) were studied. In all, 2139 subjects were questioned about their medical conditions, severity and frequency of symptoms and satisfaction with treatment. A group of general practitioners (GPs) were also invited to discuss their experiences in the management of rhinitis. In this UK survey, allergic rhinitis was more common than asthma, hypertension, skin rashes, eczema and diabetes. The prevalence of SAR and PAR was 15% and 2%, respectively. Sneezing and runny nose were the most common symptoms and GPs were the main contact for advice and treatment (54% of patients). Symptoms were well-controlled in 32% of patients. Allergic rhinitis affected work, home and social life in 29%, 34% and 30% of patients, respectively. The GPs considered PAR to be more difficult to treat than SAR, and GP and patient level of satisfaction in the treatment of PAR was low. This suggests that education of patients and physicians on the benefits of allergen avoidance, and the selective use of the highly effective therapies available on prescription could improve the level of satisfaction with therapy. Adherence to current guidelines on the management of rhinitis could lead to an effective, structured treatment plan for patients.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis--a review of current therapy.

Epidemiological studies in many countries strongly suggest an increase in the prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis, particularly in urban communities. The mechanisms of allergic rhinitis have been the subject of much research, elucidating symptomatology and improving the focus of therapeutic strategies. Ideally, avoidance of the offending allergen may be undertaken but is often incompatible with normal activity. Thus, active therapy is usually required, selected from a range of pharmacologic agents. Choice is determined by the severity of the symptoms, the age and individual circumstances of the patients, and may vary considerably from country to country. The menu will primarily include rapid onset, oral non-sedating H1 antihistamines, topical nasal steroids and topical sodium cromoglycate to the nose, eyes or both. These medications may be given alone or in combination, usually under the direction of the primary care physician, and should be commenced in advance of exposure to the seasonal allergen. If this proves ineffective, specialist referral should be made for further management.