Sirasuda Sommanus¹

Objective: To study the prevalence of allergen sensitization patterns in children with allergies and identify the factors associated with allergen sensitization.

Materials and Methods: The medical records of 940 diagnosed patients with allergic diseases aged younger than 15 years were reviewed. Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. The prevalence of allergic diseases and skin prick test results were recorded. Factors associated with allergen sensitization and the severity of respiratory allergic diseases were determined.

Results: From the 940 patients, 63.2% were boys. Their mean age was 6.13±3.14 years. The allergic patients had asthma in 62.4%, allergic rhinitis in 57%, atopic dermatitis in 17.8%, and food allergies in 11%. The aeroallergens sensitization were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in 59.6%, Dermatophagoides farinae in 57.9%, cockroach in 23.7%, cat pelt in 15.9%, Bermuda grass in 5.8%, and dog epithelium in 5.5%. Mixed shellfish were the most food allergen sensitization at 45.9%, followed by egg white at 19.4%, wheat at 11.2%, and cow’s milk at 9.2%. Aeroallergen sensitization significantly impacts the severity of respiratory allergic diseases, particularly severe persistent asthma (p<0.001) and moderate to severe allergic rhinitis (p<0.001). Environmental exposures, such as pet ownership (p<0.001) and the presence of dolls in the bedroom (p=0.013), are associated with aeroallergen sensitization.

Conclusion: Aeroallergen sensitization significantly impacts the severity of respiratory allergic diseases. Determining patients’ sensitivity to aeroallergens is crucial to guiding allergen avoidance strategies and assessing the risk of developing allergic symptoms.

Received 10 February 2025 | Revised 29 April 2025 | Accepted 29 April 2025

DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2025.7.534-545-02768