Evaluation of the correlation between allergens and demographic characteristics in patients with allergic rhinitis

Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common type of allergic disease with a prevalence of 5-50% in the general population. Many genetic and environmental factors play a role in the etiology of AR. These factors include climatic, geographical, cultural and various social conditions. Environmental factors can vary greatly from region to region. Identification of responsible allergens and avoidance of these allergens is the first step in the treatment of AR. Our aim was to reveal the allergen profile of patients with AR and to investigate the relationship between these allergens and sociodemographic characteristics. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted prospectively with patients diagnosed with AR, aged between 10-60, who presented to Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Faculty of Medicine Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital Ear Nose and Throat outpatient clinic with AR symptoms between May 2023 and August 2023. 238 patients who were found to be sensitive to at least one substance in the skin prick test (DPT) were included in the study. Patients with positive DPT results were asked to fill out a form including demographic characteristics prepared by us during the patient interview. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used in statistical analyses and statistical significance level was accepted as p< 0.05. Results: In Erzincan, AR was observed mostly in women, people with high socioeconomic status, urban dwellers, those living in houses without gardens, houses with central heating, and those living in an apartment. We reached similar results to other regions of our country in terms of the relationship between the presence of pets at home and the prevalence of AR. The most frequently sensitized allergens in our region were grass pollen, house dust DP. and weed pollen, respectively. The most common chronic condition accompanying AR was asthma, and the most common allergens in patients with asthma were house dust DP (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) and house dust DF (Dermatophagoides farinae) mites. We concluded that weed pollen allergy was higher in the 1st and 2nd decade compared to other age groups and was more common in women than in men. Although we could not investigate the effect of smoking on the overall prevalence of AR because our study was not a case-control study, approximately 1 in 4 of our patients were active smokers and we observed that weed pollen allergy was significantly less common in this group compared to non-smokers. In Erzincan, we found that grass and weed allergy were more common in urban dwellers, grass allergy was more common in those living in apartments and with more rooms in the house, and weed allergy was more common in those living in houses with central heating. There was no difference between house dust mites and other allergens and the age of the house, number of storeys, number of rooms in the house and number of people living with the patients. Conclusion: In conclusion, the effect of environmental factors in the etiology of AR on the disease may vary depending on the sociodemographic structure of the people living in the same region as well as the region of residence. The prevalence of environmental allergens in Erzincan and their effect on AR may be different due to various factors. We believe that further studies with a wider panel of allergens should be conducted in this region in the future.