title: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in urban and rural areas of Eskişehir-Turkey.
abstract: Allergic rhinitis is the most common allergic disease in our country. The epidemiology of allergic rhinitis varies according to the geographic regions of the country. The aim of this study was to find out if it also differs in urban and rural areas of the same region. The study groups were randomly selected in order to sample high school students living in small towns or villages in rural areas and in the city center. Initially the screening questionnaires about allergic rhinitis were responded by the students at school. Then the questionnaires were evaluated. Seven hundred eighty-three students who had a positive questionnaire outcome were underwent an ENT examination. Then skin tests and blood analysis were performed to two hundred forty-six students who were diagnosed as allergic rhinitis clinically. Prick test results was found to be positive 61.8% in urban areas and 46.7% in rural areas. The comparison of the ratios of urban and rural areas was significant. Similar results were obtained in serum specific Ig E analysis. The correlation of specific Ig E levels and skin prick test results was significant in all allergens. Allergic rhinitis is a medical and economic problem all over the world and further epidemiologic investigations should be performed.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Osmangazi University, Medical Faculty, Turkey. CCINGI@OGU.EDU.TR
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cingi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cakli
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Us
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akgün
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kezban
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozudogru
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cingi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozdamar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000276:immunology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E