title: Association of antioxidants with allergic rhinitis in children from seoul.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of allergic diseases has risen over the last few decades. Many factors, including environmental factors such as those related to diet, have been considered. Among dietary factors, intake of antioxidant-related nutrients has been associated with the risk of allergic disease. We investigated the association of antioxidant nutritional status with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Korean schoolchildren aged 6-12 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 4,554 children in Seoul, Korea. The risk of allergic disease was measured using the Korean version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, and dietary intake was measured by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Intake of vitamins A (including retinol and β-carotene), C, and E was used in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin C intake was negatively associated with an increased risk of current symptoms (adjusted odds ratio, 0.886; 95% confidence interval, 0.806-0.973). There was no association between AR and intake of vitamin A, retinol, β-carotene, or vitamin E. Total serum IgE level and sensitization to allergen did not differ according to nutrient intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The group of children with increased vitamin C consumption had fewer AR symptoms, despite the lack of a difference in total serum IgE level or allergen sensitization. These findings suggest that nutrient intake, especially that of vitamin C, influences AR symptoms.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ju-Hee
authors: JH
authors: Seo
authors: Sung-Ok
authors: SO
authors: Kwon
authors: So-Yeon
authors: SY
authors: Lee
authors: Hyung Young
authors: HY
authors: Kim
authors: Ji-Won
authors: JW
authors: Kwon
authors: Byoung-Ju
authors: BJ
authors: Kim
authors: Jinho
authors: J
authors: Yu
authors: Hyo-Bin
authors: HB
authors: Kim
authors: Woo Kyung
authors: WK
authors: Kim
authors: Gwang Cheon
authors: GC
authors: Jang
authors: Dae Jin
authors: DJ
authors: Song
authors: Jung Yeon
authors: JY
authors: Shim
authors: Se-Young
authors: SY
authors: Oh
authors: Soo-Jong
authors: SJ
authors: Hong
keywords: Allergic rhinitis; antioxidant; vitamin C