title: [Atopy spectrum and its relationship with clinical characteristics in asthmatic children under 4 years of age].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the atopy spectrum and the influence of clinical characteristics upon it in asthmatic children under 4 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data of 62 asthmatic children under 4 years of age, including age, sex, the age of first wheezing attack, the total times of wheezing attack, the duration of history of wheezing, and the allergic history of both children and parents, were collected. The screening tests on allergens (fx5E, mx2 and Phadiatop) were conducted by fluoroenzyme-immunometric assay using the UniCAP100 system. The total serum IgE level was also measured. Logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of clinical characteristics on allergic sensitization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive rates of fx5E, mx2 and Phadiatop were 40.3%, 14.5% and 14.5% respectively, and the total allergic sensitization screening test rate was 46.8%. The sensitization rate to inhalant allergens was 24.2%. The allergic history of parent (s), the sensitization to food allergens, the age of first wheezing attack and total serum IgE level were main factors influencing the sensitization to inhalant allergens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About a quarter of asthmatic children under 4 years of age showed sensitization to inhalant allergens. The asthmatic history of parent (s), the sensitization to food allergens, the age of first wheezing attack greater than 2 years and the significantly higher total serum IgE level may increase the possibility of sensitization to inhalant allergens in asthmatic children under 4 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Center of Asthma, Bejing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing 100045, China. drxiang@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Kun-Ling
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhen-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens