PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Baoqing Sun
AU  - Peiyan Zheng
TI  - Prevalence of allergen sensitization among patients with allergic diseases in Guangzhou, Southern China: A six-year observational study
DP  - 2014 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P4040
VI  - 44
IP  - Suppl 58
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P4040.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P4040.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2014 Sep 01; 44
AB  - Objectives: We investigated the distribution of common allergens in allergic patients in Guangzhou, southern China.Methods: 7,085 patients with allergic symptoms were examined for serum Total IgE (TIgE) sIgE to 15 common allergens in this region, based on the protocol of reversed enzyme allergosorbent test.Results: 3,758 (53.04%) of the subjects tested positive for TIgE and 4640 (65.49%) for sIgE to at least one of the 15 common allergens. There was no statistical difference in the overall rate of positive sIgE detection between males (3081/4602, 66.95%) and females (1674/2483, 67.42%). Der pteronyssinus and Der farinae were the most common aeroallergens, while eggs and cow's milk the most common food allergens, responsible for higher positive rates of sIgE responses. By age-group analysis, we noted several peaks of sensitization to the certain allergens: Der pteronyssinus, Der farinae, and Blomia tropicalis at age between 9 and 18;cow's milk before age 3; eggs at age between 3 and 6. Along with older age, there was an ascending tendency in the overall positive rate of sIgE response to house dust mites among subjects who tested positive for sIgE to eggs or cow's milk.Conclusions: Such a sequence of events may be a result of allergy march. Knowledge on the prevalence of allergen sensitization in different age groups would help early diagnosis and intervention of allergic diseases in this large geographical region.