Prevalence of pollen-induced allergic rhinitis with high pollen exposure in grasslands of northern China

X-Y Wang; T-T Ma; X-Y Wang; Y Zhuang; X-D Wang; H-Y Ning; H-Y Shi; R-L Yu; D Yan; H-D Huang; Y-F Bai; G-L Shan; B Zhang; Q-K Song; Y-F Zhang; T-J Zhang; D-Z Jia; X-L Liu; Z-X Kang; W-J Yan; B-T Yang; X-Z Bao; S-H Sun; F-F Zhang; W-H Yu; C-L Bai; T Wei; T Yang; T-Q Ma; X-B Wu; J-G Liu; H Du; L Zhang; Y Yan; D-Y Wang

doi:10.1111/all.13388

Prevalence of pollen-induced allergic rhinitis with high pollen exposure in grasslands of northern China

Allergy. 2018 Jun;73(6):1232-1243. doi: 10.1111/all.13388. Epub 2018 Mar 23.

Authors

X-Y Wang¹, T-T Ma¹, X-Y Wang¹, Y Zhuang¹, X-D Wang², H-Y Ning¹, H-Y Shi¹, R-L Yu¹, D Yan³, H-D Huang⁴, Y-F Bai⁵, G-L Shan⁶, B Zhang⁶, Q-K Song⁷, Y-F Zhang⁸, T-J Zhang⁹, D-Z Jia¹⁰, X-L Liu¹⁰, Z-X Kang¹¹, W-J Yan¹², B-T Yang¹³, X-Z Bao¹⁰, S-H Sun⁹, F-F Zhang⁸, W-H Yu⁹, C-L Bai¹⁴, T Wei¹⁴, T Yang¹⁴, T-Q Ma¹¹, X-B Wu¹¹, J-G Liu¹², H Du¹², L Zhang², Y Yan¹⁵, D-Y Wang¹⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Allergy, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
² Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
³ Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁴ Department of Nephrology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁶ Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
⁷ Department of Science and Technology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁸ Tongliao Hospital, Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, China.
⁹ Jarud People's Hospital, Jarud Banner, Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, China.
¹⁰ Kailu People's Hospital, Kailu County, Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, China.
¹¹ Erenhot Community Health Service Center, Erenhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
¹² Duolun People's Hospital, Duolun, Inner Mongolia, China.
¹³ Xiwu People's Hospital, Xiwu Banner, Inner Mongolia, China.
¹⁴ Xilingol Mongolian Hospital, Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
¹⁵ Department of Urology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
¹⁶ Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of epidemiologic and physician-diagnosed pollen-induced AR (PiAR) in the grasslands of northern China and to study the impact of the intensity and time of pollen exposure on PiAR prevalence.

Methods: A multistage, clustered and proportionately stratified random sampling with a field interviewer-administered survey study was performed together with skin prick tests (SPT) and measurements of the daily pollen count.

Results: A total of 6043 subjects completed the study, with a proportion of 32.4% epidemiologic AR and 18.5% PiAR. The prevalence was higher in males than females (19.6% vs 17.4%, P = .024), but no difference between the two major residential and ethnic groups (Han and Mongolian) was observed. Subjects from urban areas showed higher prevalence of PiAR than rural areas (23.1% vs 14.0%, P < .001). Most PiAR patients were sensitized to two or more pollens (79.4%) with artemisia, chenopodium, and humulus scandens being the most common pollen types, which were similarly found as the top three sensitizing pollen allergens by SPT. There were significant regional differences in the prevalence of epidemiologic AR (from 18.6% to 52.9%) and PiAR (from 10.5% to 31.4%) among the six areas investigated. PiAR symptoms were positively associated with pollen counts, temperature, and precipitation (P < .05), but negatively with wind speed and pressure P < .05).

Conclusion: Pollen-induced AR (PiAR) prevalence in the investigated region is extremely high due to high seasonal pollen exposure, which was influenced by local environmental and climate conditions.

Keywords: allergy test; climate; pollen count and exposure; pollen-induced allergic rhinitis; prevalence.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Allergens / immunology*
Child
Child, Preschool
China / epidemiology
Climate
Cross-Sectional Studies
Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
Female
Geography, Medical
Grassland
Humans
Immunization
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Middle Aged
Odds Ratio
Pollen / immunology*
Prevalence
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / diagnosis
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / epidemiology*
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / immunology*
Skin Tests
Young Adult

Substances

Allergens