Espinosa PSE, Meza VMR, Orozco MS, Rosales GM, Ortega-Martell JA, Huerta LJ

Language: Spanish
References: 9
Page: 165-169
PDF size: 390.17 Kb.

ABSTRACT

It is known that sensitization to aeroallergens is age-related. It was thought that very young children can not be positive to aeroallergen in skin prick tests until they are older than 2 years. However there are studies that have demonstrated early sensitization. Sensitization to airborne allergens in children under 4 years old with respiratory symptoms has been reported as high as 29%. In this study we report the frequency of positivity to aeroallergens in skin prick test done to children under 4 years old with suspicion of respiratory allergy. The percentage of positivity to any aeroallergen was 46.5%. One year old children were positive in 23%. This frequency increases to 65% in four years old children. In the entire allergic population, the most common positive allergic reaction was to house dust mites. The second most common allergen was cat hair-dander. Sensitization to only one class of allergen occurred in 43.1% of the allergic patients, and the percentage of these monosensitized patients tended to decrease from young to older children. In the monosensitized group, sensitization to house dust mites was the most frequent in 1 to 3 years old children. In 4 years old children the frequency of sensitization to house dust mites was similar to that of sensitization to pollens. Asthma was significatively correlated with positivity to aeroallergens, mainly with positivity to house dust mites. This study stresses the early sensitization to aeroallergens and the role of house dust mites in the development of asthma in young children.

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