Allergic rhinitis facts from an Irish pediatric population.

OBJECTIVE: Assessing the main allergens in the pediatric population from the largest urban area in the country.

METHODS: Clinical letters of patients referred with possible allergic rhinitis (AR) were retrospectively reviewed over the past 5 years.

RESULTS: Five hundred and fifty-five patients were included. Males suffer twice as often with AR than females and have high titers of allergens. House dust mites (44.7%) and grass pollen (29%) were the main allergens in our area, with 48% of patients sensitized to both allergens. Half of the patients had the diagnosis of AR confirmed with positive allergen-specific tests. For the other half, the diagnosis was based on a clinical assessment performed by a pediatric otolaryngologist.

CONCLUSIONS: Half of suspected AR children have environmental allergen sensitivity confirmed by testing, and a large number had a clinical diagnosis of AR after an otolaryngology consultation. Our findings can help clinicians to initiate AR treatment considering the most problematic allergens in the area.