Trends of sensitization to aeroallergens in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma in the city of Bursa, South Marmara Sea Region of Turkey

BACKGROUND/AIM: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are the most common allergic disorders worldwide. Aeroallergens are critical causative factors in the pathogenesis of these disorders and sensitization to aeroallergens differs in various countries and regions. Identification of the most common aeroallergen sensitization is crucial in the diagnosis and management of AR and asthma. We examined the distribution of aeroallergen sensitizations detected by skin prick tests (SPTs) in adult patients with AR and/or asthma in the city of Bursa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five hundred forty-five patients who underwent a SPT and were diagnosed with rhinitis and/or asthma in the Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Immunology and Allergic Diseases Outpatient Clinic from March 2018 to August 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. SPTs with standard extracts including house dust mites, pollens, molds, animal dander, and latex were performed for patients. RESULTS: A total of 545 patients were included and most of the patients (270; 49.5%) were between 30 and 49 years of age. The prevalence of atopy was 57.9%. The most common aeroallergens detected in SPTs were Dermatophagoides farinae (50%) and D. pteronyssinus (44%), followed by grass-rye mix (43%), grass mix (38.6%), olive (33.2%), and wheat (32.3%). The sensitization to olive pollen was higher in cases of mild asthma (52%), while sensitization to D. farinae was higher in patients with mild and moderate asthma (54.5%, 54.2%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that house dust mite was the most common sensitizing aeroallergen in patients with AR and asthma while pollens were the most common allergen in patients with only AR. The sensitization to grass and olive pollen was higher in cases of mild asthma than moderate and severe. Regional allergy panels may provide important clinical clues for characteristics and courses of allergic diseases.