GÜLBİN BİNGÖL KARAKOÇ, DERYA UFUK ALTINTAŞ, MUSTAFA YILMAZ, SEVAL GÜNEŞER KENDİRLİ,
Annals of Medical Sciences - 2003;12(3):85-88
Objective: Allergic diseases can be identified as asthma, atopic dermatitis and rhinitis in early childhood. Skin prick test is not used routinely for determination of allergic disease in early life . In this study, we evaluated prick skin test results children younger than three years-old. Patients and Methods: One hundred and three children aged less than three years that were on follow up at Çukurova University, Pediatric Allergy-Immunology Division were included in this study. There were 55 boys and 48 girls with a mean age of 18.48 ± 8.62 months. Asthma was identified in 69 cases (67%), atopic dermatitis in 32 (31%) and rhinitis in 12 cases (11%). Onset age and duration of the disease, history of infection at the beginning of the disease, parental smoking, duration of breast feeding, heating system were evaluated. Serum total IgE levels, phadiatop (Pharmacia, CAP system, Sweden) and skin prick test (Allergopharma, Germany) were investigsted. Results: Fifty three (51%) patients had positive skin test at least to one allergen. Mites (D.Pteronyssinus or D.farinea ) were found to be major allergen (27%). Foods, pollens and mold mixture were determined as sensitising agent in 19 (18%), 18 (17%) and 11 (10%) cases respectively. Foods were major allergen in infants whose disease had started before 12 months. Inhalant allergens were seen more commonly in children that age of onset and duration of disease were more than 12 months. Serum Ig E level was found to be high in 36 cases who had positive prick test. Phadiatop was positive in 27 infants and 7 of these cases had negative skin test. Conclusion: We found that allergen hypersensitivity was more common in infants with asthma and other allergic diseases. Prick skin test can be used for determination of different allergens and infantile asthma may be prevented by early controlling exposure to allergens.
