THE SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS AND DISTRIBUTION OF ALLERGENS DETECTED BY SKIN TEST
Fırat üniversitesi, KBB, Elazığ, Türkiye Objectives: In this study we investigated the distribution of allergens detected by symptoms and skin tests and the frequency of the responsible allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis. Thus we aimed to contribute to formation of a special allergen map of our region.Methods and Materials: We eveluated the symptoms and skin allergy test results of 1152 patients who had been admitted to our Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Department's Rhinology Polyclinic with diagnosis of allergic rhinitis between October 2006 and August 2009.
Results: Positive test respond was observed for at least one allergen, in 504 (43.7 %) of 1152 objects who underwent skin test. Mean age of patient population was 30.2 ± 13.07 and 192 (38.0 %) of the objects whose skin test was positive were male and 312 (61.9 %) ) were female. 313 (62.1 %) of the subjects with a positive skin test had seasonal allergic rhinitis and 191 (37.9 %) had perennial allergic rhinitis. Most common allergens were weeds–grains (60.5 %), Mediterranean weeds (43.6 %) and Dermatophagoides farinea (31.5 %). Frequency of symptoms in skin test positive objects was rhinorhea (46.3 %), sneezing (45.8 %), and nose obstruction (41.6 %) respectively.
Conclusion: In our region, most common allergen was determined as weeds-grains with positive skin tests. We proposed that our results may contribute to describe a special regional allergy map for allergic rhinitis patients in our region.
Keywords : Rhinitis, Allergic, Skin Tests, Diagnosis