Allergic rhinitis and atopy in 18-year-old students.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and atopy in adolescents and whether air pollution in their schools contributed to allergic sensitization.


METHODS
Analyses were performed in 1992-1994 on 511 18-year-old students at four schools and on the indoor air and floor dust of their classrooms. The students underwent skin-prick tests (SPTs) and a nasal lavage and answered a computer-based questionnaire containing questions on allergy and nasal symptoms.


RESULTS
Atopy, defined as at least one positive SPT response, was found among 37% of the students, with no difference between students of the four schools, regardless of whether the data were adjusted for gender, hereditary disposition to allergy, and smoking habits. The number of students who had positive SPT and reported nasal symptoms when exposed to possible allergens, which were found among 35%, did not differ between the schools. No correlation was found between the prevalence of atopic individuals and the levels of different indoor air pollutants in the schools.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of allergic rhinitis among adolescents is very high and suggests that it is, at least at the time of our study and in comparison with other studies, still increasing. Our results indicate that the indoor air and floor dust at the schools of the students do not contribute to allergic sensitization.
Brattmo
Marianne
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Lindberg
Sven
S
Wihl
Jan-Ake
JA
Petersson
Göran
G
Malm
Lars
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology