Biomedical Research

Objective: To identify the responsible allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis using skin prick test and further to help create the chart showing allergen distribution in Duzce region of Turkey.

Methods: This retrospective case series included 192 patients diagnosed with allergic rhinitis between June 2014 and June 2016 in the private office of the author. The diagnosis of allergic rhinitis was based on patient history and physical examination findings. Allergopharma allergen extracts were used for skin prick testing. Twenty-eight allergens including histamine as the positive control, saline as the negative control and twenty-six allergens were drilled on the volar surface of the forearm. The results were evaluated after 15 minutes. The negative (-), positive (+), (+++) and (++++) results were assessed and analyzed.

Result: Seventy-five percent of the patients (n=144) were male. Mean age of the patient population was 30.8 ± 7.3 years. The ratio of patients responding to at least one allergen was 83.3% (n=160). In 160 patients with positive response to the skin prick test, the minimum and a maximum number of allergens to which a positive skin prick test was obtained were 1 and 21 respectively. The most common allergens responsible for the positive response to the skin prick test were mites in 124 patients (77.5%), tree pollens in 118 patients (73.8%), grass pollens in 118 patients (73.8%), and fungi in 114 patients (71.3%).

Conclusions: The most common allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis in Duzce region were mites, trees pollens, and grass pollens.

Author(s): Suat Konuk
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