Premium
Prevalence and associated risk factors of allergic rhinitis in preschool children in Beijing
Author(s) -
Zhang YaMei,
Zhang Jie,
Liu ShiLin,
Zhang Xing,
Yang SuNa,
Gao Juan,
Zhao Jing,
Chen Hui,
Chen XinXin,
Sun FengXin,
Shen Liang,
Wang DeYun
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.23573
Subject(s) - medicine , asthma , beijing , pediatrics , intoxicative inhalant , environmental health , atopy , epidemiology , concomitant , demography , immunology , geography , toxicology , biology , sociology , china , archaeology
Objectives/Hypothesis: To investigate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and its associated risk factors in preschool children in Beijing. Study design: Two‐stage, clustered, stratified random sample study. Methods: Parents of 4,075 children aged 3, 4, and 5 years in urban and suburban areas were surveyed using a questionnaire. A random subgroup of 1,067 children was examined by otolaryngologists with skin prick test (SPT). Results: The survey response rate was 98.3%. Based on the criteria published by ARIA document, the prevalence of epidemiologic AR was 48% (53.2% in urban areas; 43.4% in suburban areas). Among 795 children with epidemiologic AR, sensitization to common inhalant allergens was confirmed by a positive SPT in 248 children (31.2%). Thus, the adjusted prevalence of clinical AR was 14.9% (19.5% in urban areas; 10.8% in suburban areas). In these AR children, 166 (67.1%) were intermittent and 82 (32.9%) persistent, with moderate/severe symptoms in 103 (41.5%). The most common inhalant allergens were Alternaria tenuis (55.7%), followed by Dermatophagoides farina (39.4%), and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (38.6%). Both asthma (adjusted OR 4.88, 95% CI: 3.48–6.86) and eczema (adjusted OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.15–1.94) appear to be significant concomitant risk factors for AR. Conclusions: The prevalence of AR in young children can be overestimated using epidemiologic criteria. AR is a common disease in Asian preschool children, with an increasing trend as children get older, and is higher in urban than suburban areas—suggesting an important role for environmental risk factors in AR. Laryngoscope, 2013