Analysis of Allergen in Children with Allergic Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis in Different Area of Shanghai

Objective To analyze the distribution and significance of allergen in children with allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis in different area of Shanghai, and to provide evidence for preventing allergic respiratory disease.Methods Five hundred and two children with allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis and 375 adult with the same disease were selected from Sep.2005 to Dec.2006, from 3 hospitals in Shanghai.All of them got the allergens skin prick tests(SPT) with 12 allergens from German Allergopharma.Results 1.The positive percentage of SPT in patients of children was 80.9%, which was evidently lower than that in patients of adult (98.9%)(χ2=69.278 P=0.001).The positive percentage in 7 years group was lower than that in ≥7 years group.2.In SPT positive patients of children, the allergen with most high positive percentage was dermatophagoides farinae, then cat epithelia and dog epithelia followed, respectively 92.9%, 35.7% and 19.0%.3.The SPT positive percentage in asthmatic-non-rhinitis children was 67.7%, which was markedly lower than that in rhinitis-non-asthmatic children (81.5%) and in rhinitis-asthmatic children (86.5%)(P=0.039, 0.001).4.The SPT po-sitive percentage of urban children patients was 82.7%, which was higher than that of the patients in suburbs (72.0%)(χ2=7.443 P=0.006).Conclusions Keeping the living environment and commodities clean, avoiding the contact with dermatophagoides farinae and be away from pets such as cat and dog are benefit, which can reduce the development of allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis in children.The positive percentage of SPT in children was influenced by age.It should pay more attention to detect and avoid allergens when diagnosing and treating allergic rhinitis in children than doing that in asthma of children.