A cross-sectional study on allergen reactivity in children using skin prick test

Abstract

Allergy-related illnesses are currently undergoing a worldwide increase. Infants are particularly susceptible to the substantial health hazards presented by these allergic diseases. Allergens are substantially inducing and exacerbating anxiety. Aim: The identification of the most frequently encountered allergens is fundamental and crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic disorders. Materials and methods: The Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute in Chennai conducted a cross-sectional study. Participants ranged in age from three to 17 and came to the Outpatient Department (OPD) of the Pediatrics Department at Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chennai with complaints of chronic allergies. The study was approved by the Institutional Medical Ethics Committee and was scheduled to run from September 2020 to September 2021. Assuming they fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we included 73 individuals with a physician-diagnosed history of recurring allergies. A master chart was created and examined using SPSS 16.0 using data and information on patients. In our investigation, we found 73 cases of allergen reactivity in children. Skin prick tests (SPTs) were administered to all participants. Boys between the ages of 6 and 12 made up the bulk of our study’s participant pool. About two-thirds of the kids were born in cities. Results: Asthma is the most common kind of allergy in babies. Among the youngsters surveyed, 61.6% had no history of allergies in their family. In a study with 36 youngsters, over half of the subjects tested positive for 2 allergens. The main reason why our research participants were allergic to so many different things is because they have developed polysensitization to those things. Out of the participants tested for allergens, the results showed that 34 children (46.6%) were positive for dust mites, 21 children (28.8%) for cockroaches, 9 children (12.3%) for mosquitoes, and 2 children (2.7%) for Cassia siamea. Conclusion: Skin probing testing found dust mites to be the most common allergen in children who suffer from recurring allergies. For this reason, limiting the exposure to allergens is recommended for the successful management of allergic illnesses, particularly for those who have a history of exposure.