Prevalence of allergic rhinitis and its causative allergens in people in rural area of Cheju Island

Abstract

Objective : Cross-sectional survey was performed to evaluate prevalence of allergic rhinitis and its causative allergens in people in rural area of Cheju Island. Subject and method : A total of 1,236 people with 1,055 children and 181 adults in rural area of Cheju Island were enrolled in this study. In children, 544 were males and 511 were females, and their mean age was 12.3(ranging from 7 to 16) years. In adults, 78 were males and 103 were females, and their mean age was 50.1(ranging from 18 to 87) years. Evaluations included a questionnaire survey, and skin prick test with extracts of Japanese cedar(Cryptomera Japonica, J cedar) pollen and citrus red mite(Panonychus citri, CRM) as well as eleven common inhalant allergens. Results : Prevalence of chronic nasal symptoms was 40.6%(429/1,055) in children, and 45.8%(83/181) in adults. Prevalence of allergic rhinitis based on positive nasal symptoms on the questionnaire and positive skin response to one of more of the 13 inhalant allergens were 15.4%(159/1.035) in children, and 19.3%(35/181) in adults. Of 1,035 children, skin-test response was positive in 37.6%, and common sensitizing allergens in odder of decreasing frequency were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus(DP)(26.6%), D. farinae (DF)(22.6% ), CRM(14.2%), cockroach(11.3%) and J cedar(9.7%). Of 181 adults, skin-test response was positive in 25.9%, and the most common sensitizing allergen was CRM(16.5%), followed by cockroach(11.0%), DP(9.9%), DF(9.4%), and J cedar(6.6%). Of 159 children with allergic rhinitis, the common sensitizing allergens in odder of decreasing frequency were DP(79.2%), DF(67.3%), CRM(35.8%), J cedar(32.7% ), and cockroach(27.0% ). Of 35 adults with allergic rhinitis, the most common sensitizing allergen was CRM(68.6%), followed by DP(40%), DF(34.3%), cockroach(34.3%), and J cedar(28.9%). Conclusion : Allergic rhinitis is a very common disease with a prevalence of 15.4% in children and 19.3% in adults in rural area of Cheju island, and common sensitizing allergens include house dust mite, citrus red mite, cockroach, and Japanese cedar pollen.