Allergic Sensitization Pattern in the Korean Dermatologic Patients

BACKGROUND

Avoiding causative allergens is important for controlling the clinical course of allergic diseases. Allergen sensitization is influenced by many factors including the environment and lifestyle. The socioeconomic development, climate, and lifestyle changes have increased the prevalence of allergic diseases worldwide. However, there is little information about changes in the trend of the common allergens over time.

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed at identifying the trends of the common allergens in Korea over a 10-year period based on the results of the multiple allergosorbent test chemiluminescent assay (MAST-CLA).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 5,760 patients aged ≥18 years who visited the Dermatology Department at a tertiary hospital over a period of 10 years. The serum total immunoglobulin (Ig) E and specific IgE levels to 41 allergens were determined using MAST-CLA, along with the clinical diagnosis, duration of illness, white blood cell count and eosinophil percentage.

RESULTS

Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and house dust were the most prevalent allergens during the 10 years period, but the percentage of higher class responses has decreased in recent years. The number of patients sensitized to house dust (p<0.001), dogs (p=0.005), and cats (p<0.001) increased while that of patients sensitized to cockroaches (p<0.001) and storage mites (p<0.001) decreased over time. There were no significant changes in the total number of sensitizing allergens over time.

CONCLUSION

The common allergens have changed over time. Based on the findings of this study, physicians and patients should consider changing their strategies for disease prevention and management.

Seasonal variation of patulous Eustachian tube diagnoses using climatic and national health insurance data

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyse if there were any associations between patulous Eustachian tube occurrence and climatic factors and seasonality.

METHODS

The correlation between the monthly average number of patients diagnosed with patulous Eustachian tube and climatic factors in Seoul, Korea, from January 2010 to December 2016, was statistically analysed using national data sets.

RESULTS

The relative risk for patulous Eustachian tube occurrence according to season was significantly higher in summer and autumn, and lower in winter than in spring (relative risk (95 per cent confidence interval): 1.334 (1.267-1.404), 1.219 (1.157-1.285) and 0.889 (0.840-0.941) for summer, autumn and winter, respectively). Temperature, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity had a moderate positive (r = 0.648), negative (r = -0.601) and positive (r = 0.492) correlation with the number of patulous Eustachian tube cases, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The number of patulous Eustachian tube cases was highest in summer and increased in proportion to changes in temperature and humidity, which could be due to physiological changes caused by climatic factors or diet trends.

Comparison of allergens and symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis between 1990s and 2010s

Background

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR), an environment- and lifestyle-dependent condition, has been constantly increasing in Korea. Although the environment and lifestyle of the Korean people have recently undergone rapid changes, corresponding changes in the characteristics of AR patients have not been well documented. Therefore, we aimed to outline the changes in allergens and clinical manifestations of AR in Korean patients from the 1990s and 2010s.

Methods

We reviewed 1447 and 3388 AR patients who visited the same tertiary hospital in the 1990s and 2010s, respectively. All patients were diagnosed with AR based on the presence of characteristic symptoms, positive skin prick test results, and answered a symptom questionnaire at the time of visit. We compared differences in the allergens and results of the symptom questionnaire between the two sets of patients.

Results

When compared with the 1990s, the rate of sensitization to house dust mites, cockroaches, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and tree pollen significantly increased and that to cat fur significantly decreased in patients from the 2010s (all P < 0.05). Male predominance was observed with two peaks in the age distribution of patients from the 2010s. The proportion of patients with moderate-to-severe nasal obstruction and itching of the nose/eye increased (each P < 0.05) and that of patients with minor symptoms such as olfactory disturbances, cough, sore throat, and fatigue also increased (all P < 0.01) in the 2010s.

Conclusions

Allergen reactivity and type and symptom severity in Korean AR patients significantly varied between the 1990s and 2010s. Our results may therefore be helpful for patient counseling and management.