Sensitization To Aeroallergens In Children Living In İstanbul

Abstract

Atopic sensitivity can be determined by allergy skin test (skin prick test).  The skin prick test is a standard procedure to determine the allergic sensitivity. Aeroallergens can be various according to geographic site, climate and residential properties. In our study we aimed to find out which aeroallergen causes more sensitivity according to the skin prick test results of the patients admitted to our allergy clinic. Allergy skin tests were applied to 532 children with suspected allergic sensitivity, who admitted to Istanbul S.B. Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital between the years 2003-2005. Allergy skin test was found positive in 92 of these children. When these patients were evaluated with regard to allergic rhinitis and asthma; 85 of them were diagnosed with asthma and 45 of them were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. The most commonly diagnosed sensitivity was with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus with a rate of 96.7% followed by Dermatophagoides farinea (89.3%) and Mixture 5 Grassess (18.5%). The results of this study might be explained by; that the patients admitting to our clinic mostly reside near the district of Istanbul Okmeydanı Hospital, in which the houses are settled very densely, with inadequate sunshine and poor ventilation. In conclusion, in this study we determined that the most commonly seen aeroallergens were "house dust mites" and the second ranked allergens were the "grass pollens" in children living in Istanbul.