Allergen variability and house dust mite sensitivity in pre-school children with allergic complaints

Abstract

Yazıcı S, Güneş S, Kurtuluş-Çokboz M, Kemer Ö, Baranlı G,Aşık-Akman S, Can D. Allergen variability and house dust mite sensitivity inpre-school children with allergic complaints. Turk J Pediatr 2018; 60: 41-49.The increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases in pre-school children whoare often at home may be due to an increase in house dust mite sensitivity,which is rarely expected in this age group. In our study, it was aimed toinvestigate allergen sensitivities, especially house dust mite sensitivity inpre-school children with allergic disease complaints by skin prick test (SPT).Two hundred and twenty children admitted to the Pediatric Allergy andAsthma Clinic of Balıkesir University between October 2015 and October2016 diagnosed with asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergy, atopic dermatitisor urticaria were involved in the retrospective cross-sectional study. Allergengroups used in SPT were Dermatophagoides farina (Derf), Dermatophagoidespteronyssinus (Der p), Alternaria alternata, cat epithelium, pollen mixture andfood mixture.Average age of the 220 patients was 2.98 years (2.75-3.21). SPT was positivein 55.9% of patients. Sixteen percent were monosensitized and 73.8% werepolysensitized. Seventy two children (32.7%) were sensitive to Der f and67 (30.4%) were sensitive to Der p. There was no difference between SPTpositivity and gender (p>0.05). Ninty-five children were diagnosed withasthma, 38 with asthma and allergic rhinitis, 63 with food allergy and 24with urticaria and/or atopic dermatitis. SPT positivity was significantly higherin the asthma and allergic rhinitis group than other groups. As the ageincreased, significant increases in the sensitivities of Der f (p