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Chantaphakul H, Wang DY, Hang TTT, Kadir KA, Lam HT, Navarro-Locsin CG, Nanthapisal S, Poblete D, Tantilipikorn P, Tong WH, Nagrale D, Lucas M. Promoting patient-centred care in the management of allergic rhinitis in Asia-Pacific countries. World Allergy Organ J 2024; 17:100952. [PMID: 39262901 PMCID: PMC11388691 DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.2024.100952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) has a high burden of disease in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC). Although guidelines provide recommendations regarding the diagnosis and treatment of AR, it is increasingly being recognised that there are gaps in their implementation. Patient-centred care involves accounting for the specific needs and desires of patients as well as including the patient in the decision-making process, and this may provide a means to reduce these gaps and consequently the burden of AR. Methods A group of 11 experts in immunology and otorhinolaryngology from APAC provided information regarding their practices and experiences in the management of AR through an online survey. The group then discussed the barriers and solutions for the implementation of patient-centred care across the patient journey in a face-to-face meeting. Results Key barriers to the implementation of patient-centred care for AR in APAC included a lack of patient awareness of the condition and treatment options, low adherence to treatments, financial constraints for patients, and time constraints for physicians. The solutions proposed include improving the knowledge of the patients about their conditions, the use of shared decision-making, the consideration of patient characteristics when choosing treatments, and the use of outcome measures to aid the optimisation of patient care. We provide specific recommendations for clinical practice. Conclusion A greater focus on patient-centred approaches has the potential to improve the management of AR in APAC. More emphasis should be placed on each patient's specific health needs and desired outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Chantaphakul
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - De Yun Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | - Hoang Thi Lam
- Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | | | - Sira Nanthapisal
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand
| | | | - Pongsakorn Tantilipikorn
- Center of Research Excellence in Allergy & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Thailand
| | | | | | - Michaela Lucas
- Department of Immunology, QE Medical Centre, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth Children's Hospital, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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Moitra S, Mahesh PA, Moitra S. Allergic rhinitis in India. Clin Exp Allergy 2023. [PMID: 36856159 DOI: 10.1111/cea.14295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
India is the home of nearly 20% of the global population with 1.35 billion people. Of all non-communicable diseases, allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma appear to have increased in India over the past decades. Approximately 22% of adolescents currently suffer from AR in India. However, owing to the lack of adequate epidemiological studies in India, particularly in rural and suburban areas, this number may misrepresent the true burden of this disease. While the risk factors for AR are mainly environmental exposures or genetic factors, several new environmental, social, and behavioural risk factors such as the presence of dumpsters near residences, movement of vehicles near homes, and exposure to artificial light at night have been found to be associated with AR. However, despite international guidelines, the diagnosis and management of AR in India are often suboptimal, for multiple reasons such as the lack of specialized training in allergy and immunology among Indian clinicians, the lack of diagnostic facilities, and the high cost of medications. This review aims at highlighting the current scenario of AR in India and how it differs from the rest of the world. It also highlights the need for developing a strategic approach to enhance the quality of care for allergic diseases by upgrading education and training for healthcare professionals, creating awareness among clinicians and patients, and involving stakeholders and policymakers in making treatments accessible and affordable to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhabrata Moitra
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | - Saibal Moitra
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Apollo Multispeciality Hospital, Kolkata, India
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Pham DL, Trinh THK, Le KM, Pawankar R. Characteristics of allergen profile, sensitization patterns and Allergic Rhinitis in SouthEast Asia. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2022; 22:137-142. [PMID: 35152227 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0000000000000814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To highlight the characteristics of allergic rhinitis, local allergic rhinitis (LAR), and importance of allergens in Southeast Asian countries. RECENT FINDINGS The Asia-Pacific region is very diverse with disparities in the epidemiological data between countries as well as in the unmet needs. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis has markedly increased in the past decades, with a high variation between countries, ranging from 4.5--80.3%. In terms of LAR, the reported prevalence in Southeast Asia is similar to that of other Asian countries (3.7-24.9%) but lower than that in western countries. House dust mites, cockroach, pollens, and molds are major allergens that are known triggers for of allergic rhinitis in this region, whereas the association with helminth infection requires further investigation. SUMMARY There are gaps and high variation between countries in Southeast Asia regarding the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and LAR. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the association between allergens and allergic rhinitis in Southeast Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tu Hoang Kim Trinh
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Kieu Minh Le
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Ruby Pawankar
- Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
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Bronchial hyperresponsiveness is common in Hanoi, Vietnam: Asthma probably underdiagnosed. Respir Med 2021; 186:106513. [PMID: 34246130 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2021.106513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is a key pathophysiological feature of asthma. Methacholine challenge test (MCT) is a common bronchoprovocation test useful for confirming a diagnosis of asthma. Studies of BHR in the general population of Asian countries are rare. AIM To estimate prevalence and determinants of BHR in Hanoi, Vietnam, and to study the association between BHR and symptoms common in asthma and previously diagnosed asthma. METHODS 1500 out of 5872 randomly selected adults in urban and rural Hanoi, who had participated in a questionnaire survey (83% participated), were randomly selected and invited to clinical examinations. Totally 684 subjects (46%) participated. MCT was performed in 366 subjects. BHR was defined as a FEV1-decrease of ≥20% from baseline following methacholine inhalations (PC20). Cut offs used in the analyses were PC20 ≤ 1 mg/ml, ≤2 mg/ml and ≤8 mg/ml. RESULTS The prevalence of BHR was 16.4% at doses ≤8 mg/ml, while 9.6% reacted on doses ≤2 mg/ml. PC20 ≤ 2 mg/ml was associated with FEV1 <80% of predicted. PC20 ≤ 2 mg/ml, but not PC20 ≤ 8 mg/ml, was associated with multi-sensitization to airborne allergens. BHR defined as PC20 ≤ 8 mg/ml was associated with age >45y. The combination of asthmatic wheeze (wheezing with breathlessness apart from colds) and BHR, irrespectively of magnitude of BHR, was more common than the combination of BHR with previously diagnosed asthma. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate BHR to be more common in Hanoi than previously found in south-east Asia. Although the prevalence of physician diagnosed asthma has increased in Vietnam, our results indicate that asthma still may be underdiagnosed in Vietnam.
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Smoking, environmental tobacco smoke and occupational irritants increase the risk of chronic rhinitis. World Allergy Organ J 2018; 11:6. [PMID: 29568342 PMCID: PMC5851305 DOI: 10.1186/s40413-018-0184-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis cause a lot of symptoms in everyday life. To decrease the burden more information of the preventable risk factors is needed. We assessed prevalence and risk factors for chronic nasal symptoms, exploring the effects of smoking, environmental tobacco smoke, exposure to occupational irritants, and their combinations. Methods In 2016, a postal survey was conducted among a random population sample of 8000 adults in Helsinki, Finland with a 50.5% response rate. Results Smoking was associated with a significant increase in occurrence of chronic rhinitis (longstanding nasal congestion or runny nose), but not with self-reported or physician diagnosed allergic rhinitis. The highest prevalence estimates of nasal symptoms, 55.1% for chronic rhinitis, 49.1% for nasal congestion, and 40.7% for runny nose, were found among smokers with occupational exposure to gases, fumes or dusts.Besides active smoking, also exposure to environmental tobacco smoke combined with occupational exposure increased the risk of nasal symptoms. Conclusions Smoking, environmental tobacco smoke, and occupational irritants are significant risk factors for nasal symptoms with an additive pattern. The findings suggest that these factors should be systematically inquired in patients with nasal symptoms for appropriate preventive measures. (192 words).
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Mösges R, Lee DLY, Abong J, Siasoco B, Chow SK, Leong JL, Singh H, Kuljit S, Campomanes B. Role of bilastine in the management of allergic rhinitis and urticaria: an Asia-Pacific consensus statement. Asia Pac Allergy 2016; 6:56-66. [PMID: 26844221 PMCID: PMC4731482 DOI: 10.5415/apallergy.2016.6.1.56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing globally, most particularly in middle- to low-income countries. This article examines the burden of allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria in the Asia-Pacific region, unmet clinical needs, and the potential role of bilastine in the management of these conditions. An International Advisory Group meeting was convened in association with the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology Annual Congress in November 2014, followed by a literature review, and consensus-based outcomes from the meeting and literature review are described. Regional estimates of the prevalence of allergic rhinitis range from 10% to 50%, while little is known regarding the burden of urticaria in the Asia-Pacific region. A survey of allergy patients in the region identified fast, complete, and long-lasting symptom relief as the medication attributes most important to patients. International treatment guidelines for allergic rhinitis and urticaria advocate the first-line use of second-generation, no-sedating H1-antihistamines, such as bilastine, over their first-generation counterparts and a range of these agents are available to Asia-Pacific patients. The newer agents possess many of the properties of an "ideal" antihistamine (once daily administration, rapid and complete symptom relief, limited potential for drug-drug interactions, minimal side effects). The burgeoning prevalence of allergic diseases in the Asia-Pacific region and the uncontrolled symptoms that these patients experience demand a new antihistamine that offers the highest number of positive features according to the international guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Mösges
- Institute of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Dennis Lip Yen Lee
- Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat, United Christian Hospital and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jovilia Abong
- University of the Philippines College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, 1000 Manila, Philippines
| | - Bella Siasoco
- University of the Philippines College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, 1000 Manila, Philippines
| | - Steven Kw Chow
- The KL Skin Centre, Pantai Hospital, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jern-Lin Leong
- Ascent Ear Nose Throat Specialist Group, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore 228510, Singapore
| | - Harvinder Singh
- Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (Ipoh General Hospital), 30990 Ipoh, Malaysia
| | - S Kuljit
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Prince Court Medical Centre, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Benjamin Campomanes
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Santo Tomas, 1008 Manila, Philippines
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Schwitzguébel AJP, Jandus P, Lacroix JS, Seebach JD, Harr T. Immunoglobulin deficiency in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2015; 136:1523-1531. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Song WJ, Sohn KH, Kang MG, Park HK, Kim MY, Kim SH, Lim MK, Choi MH, Kim KW, Cho SH, Min KU, Chang YS. Urban-rural differences in the prevalence of allergen sensitization and self-reported rhinitis in the elderly population. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2015; 114:455-61. [PMID: 25863448 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urbanization is frequently associated with allergic conditions during childhood; however, the literature lacks studies on the association between allergies and degree of urbanization in the elderly population. OBJECTIVE To determine how the degree of urbanization affects the prevalence of allergic sensitization and self-reported rhinitis symptoms in elderly community populations. METHODS The study population consisted of 1,311 elderly subjects identified from 2 community population cohort datasets who were divided into 3 groups according to the degree of urbanization (urban, semirural, and rural) where they resided. Current rhinitis symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire. Sensitization to inhalant allergen was measured using skin prick tests for 9 common allergens. RESULTS Sensitization to inhalant allergen showed a positive correlation with degree of urbanization (urban 17.2%, semirural 9.8%, rural 6.0%; P for trend <.001), with a significant correlation observed between house dust mite allergens and degree of urbanization. Self-reported rhinitis symptoms were mostly nonallergic, but showed a positive correlation with degree of urbanization (urban 26.8%, semirural 18.2%, rural 11.5%; P for trend <.001). Self-reported rhinoconjunctivitis also correlated with urbanization. Correlations between self-reported allergic conditions and urbanization remained statistically significant in multivariate logistic regression tests. CONCLUSION The present analyses found significant correlations between degree of urbanization with self-reported rhinitis symptoms and sensitization to inhalant allergen in the elderly population. These findings warrant further investigation of the roles that urban factors play in the development of elderly rhinitis and allergen sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo-Jung Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyoung-Hee Sohn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Min-Gyu Kang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Han-Ki Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi-Yeong Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Sae-Hoon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Min Kyung Lim
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Min-Ho Choi
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ki Woong Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang-Heon Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyung-Up Min
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yoon-Seok Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
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Micallef L, Rodgers P. eulerAPE: drawing area-proportional 3-Venn diagrams using ellipses. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101717. [PMID: 25032825 PMCID: PMC4102485 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 342] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Venn diagrams with three curves are used extensively in various medical and scientific disciplines to visualize relationships between data sets and facilitate data analysis. The area of the regions formed by the overlapping curves is often directly proportional to the cardinality of the depicted set relation or any other related quantitative data. Drawing these diagrams manually is difficult and current automatic drawing methods do not always produce appropriate diagrams. Most methods depict the data sets as circles, as they perceptually pop out as complete distinct objects due to their smoothness and regularity. However, circles cannot draw accurate diagrams for most 3-set data and so the generated diagrams often have misleading region areas. Other methods use polygons to draw accurate diagrams. However, polygons are non-smooth and non-symmetric, so the curves are not easily distinguishable and the diagrams are difficult to comprehend. Ellipses are more flexible than circles and are similarly smooth, but none of the current automatic drawing methods use ellipses. We present eulerAPE as the first method and software that uses ellipses for automatically drawing accurate area-proportional Venn diagrams for 3-set data. We describe the drawing method adopted by eulerAPE and we discuss our evaluation of the effectiveness of eulerAPE and ellipses for drawing random 3-set data. We compare eulerAPE and various other methods that are currently available and we discuss differences between their generated diagrams in terms of accuracy and ease of understanding for real world data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Micallef
- School of Computing, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Peter Rodgers
- School of Computing, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
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Lâm HTFST, Ekerljung L, T Formula See Text Ng NFSTNV, Rönmark E, Larsson K, Lundbäck B. Prevalence of COPD by disease severity in men and women in northern Vietnam. COPD 2014; 11:575-81. [PMID: 24867392 DOI: 10.3109/15412555.2014.898039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of COPD and its risk factor pattern varies between different areas of the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of COPD by disease severity in men and women and risk factors for COPD in northern Vietnam. From all 5782 responders to a questionnaire survey, a randomly selected sample of 1500 subjects was invited to a clinical follow-up study. The methods included a structured interview using a modified GA2LEN study questionnaire for registration of symptoms and possible determinants of disease. Spirometry was performed before and after bronchodilation. The age distribution of the sample was 23-72 years. Of 684 subjects attending, 565 completed acceptable spirometric measurements. The prevalence of COPD defined by the GOLD criteria was 7.1%; in men 10.9% and in women 3.9% (p = 0.002). Of those 3.4% had a mild disease, 2.8% a moderate and 0.9% a severe disease. In ages >50 years, 23.5% of men and 6.8% of women had COPD. Among smokers aged >60 years (all men), 47.8% had COPD. None of the women with COPD had been smokers. Increasing age, smoking and male sex were the dominating risk factors, although male sex lost its significance in a multivariate setting. The prevalence of COPD among adults in northern Vietnam was 7.1% and was considerably higher among men than women. The prevalence increased considerably with age. Increasing age and smoking, the latter among men only, were the most important determinants of COPD.
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Lâm HT, Ekerljung L, Bjerg A, Văn T Tng N, Lundbäck B, Rönmark E. Sensitization to airborne allergens among adults and its impact on allergic symptoms: a population survey in northern Vietnam. Clin Transl Allergy 2014; 4:6. [PMID: 24512828 PMCID: PMC3923743 DOI: 10.1186/2045-7022-4-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The knowledge about allergic sensitization and its relationship with clinical symptoms and diseases among adults in South-East Asia is poor. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and pattern of allergic sensitization and the association with asthma and allergic rhinitis in adults in urban and rural Vietnam. Methods Among 5,782 responders to a questionnaire survey in northern Vietnam, a random sample was invited to a clinical follow-up and 684 (46%) participated. The methods included a structured interview using a modified GA2LEN study questionnaire on symptoms and possible determinants for diseases. Skin prick test (SPT) with ten common airborne indoor and outdoor allergens, lung function test, and methacholine test was performed among subjects ≤60 years of age. Results In total, one third of subjects had a positive SPT reaction to at least one allergen, 36.9% of men and 31.0% of women (n.s.). The most common sensitizer was the storage mite B. tropicalis (men 27.7%; women 18.7%) followed by house dust mite D. pteronyssinus (men 16.5%; women 10.6%), and D. farinae (men 15.3%; women 6.3%), and cockroach (men 16.5%; women 10.2%). Sensitization to all major allergens were significantly more common among men and among subjects ≤45 years compared with women and subjects >45 years, respectively. The prevalence of sensitization to animals, pollen and molds were low. The majority of cockroach-sensitized subjects were also sensitized to mites. Sensitization to any allergen and all major allergens were significantly associated with rhinitis, but not with asthma. However, bronchial hyper-reactivity was significantly associated with increasing number of positive SPTs (p = 0.047). Conclusions Among adults in northern Vietnam sensitization to mite and cockroach most common in both rural and urban areas. The dominant sensitizer was the storage mite B. tropicalis, which should be included in future studies and also in clinical practice, owing to its association with clinical symptoms. As in the Western world allergic sensitization was associated with rhinitis and bronchial hyper-reactivity. The lack of association with asthma in South-East Asia needs to be studied further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoàng Thị Lâm
- Department of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
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