A Descriptive Study on Aeroallergen Sensitivity Pattern in Children with Bronchial Asthma and/or Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

Abstract Background The growing prevalence of allergy and asthma in India has become a major health concern, with symptoms ranging from mild rhinitis to severe asthma, and aeroallergens play a major role in the pathogenesis of reactive airway diseases. The distribution of aeroallergen and the knowledge of allergen sensitivity pattern in northern India (Rajasthan) are limited. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of various aeroallergens in children with bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis by skin prick test at a tertiary care center in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Methods Children who had presented to the Department of Pediatrics (outpatient department and inpatient department), Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Jaipur, from January 2018 to June 2019 fulfilling the inclusion criteria, were included in this prospective study. A total of 15 antigens were used. Skin prick testing was performed as per standard protocol. Result Among total 60 children with respiratory allergic diseases, overall the highest percentage of skin prick test positivity was found among house dust mite (66.6%), storage mite (41.6%), wheat (33.3%), animal dander (30%), and Kentucky bluegrass (26.6%), in that order. Conclusion It is advised to avoid common inhaled allergens found with SPT in our region in children with allergic airway diseases.