Nadeem Uddin Naqvi, Syed Nusrat Raza, Qazi Ahsan, Rahat Z M, Javed Iqbal, Asim Abbas.
Pattern of Allergen sensitivity in allergic rhinitis patients in local population.
Pak J Otolaryngol Jan ;22(1):16-9.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and quantify the allergen sensitivity pattern in local population suffering from allergic rhinitis. TYPE OF STUDY: It is a simple observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Patients of allergic rhinitis reporting to ENT department of CMH Multan from 15th August 2000 to 15th January 2004, and to ENT department of CMH Lahore from 16th January 2004 to 30th July 2005 were kept in the study. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE: Simple non-probability random sampling. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 265 patients were included in the study. Skin prick test was carried out in all the patients with 17 common allergens using Hollister Stier Laboratories prick test allergens. Positive and negative controls were also tested in all patients. RESULTS: Maximum patients showed sensitivity to the insect group that included allergy to cockroach (66.4 %) followed by house dust mite (50.9 %). Pollen group followed insect group and included grasses (20 %) and tree mix (15.84 %). Other groups tested were fungus gr oup including aspergillus (13.58 %), Candida (12.45 %) and Alternaria (7.16 %), animal group including cat (8.67 %) and dog (4.91 %) and eatables group (Egg, chicken, peanut, fish beef and milk). Mean age group of allergic rhinitis patients was 26 years with male to female ratio being 2.6 : 1. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of allergic rhinitis can be reduced by avoiding exposure to cockroaches, house dust, grasses, tree mix and fungi, as they are the most common allergens encountered in our setup. Their extract must be a part of allergy kit used for allergy testing for allergic rhinitis.

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