title: Sports activities enhance the prevalence of rhinitis symptoms in schoolchildren.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the association between sports activities and allergic symptoms, especially rhinitis, among schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  This longitudinal survey of schoolchildren collected data from questionnaires regarding allergic symptoms based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) program and sports participation that were distributed to the parents of children at all 12 public primary schools in Ohmi-Hachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Data were collected annually from 2011 until 2014, when the children reached 10 years of age. Blood samples were obtained in 2014, and the levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)E specific to four inhalant allergens were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 558 children were analyzed. At 10 years of age, prevalence of asthma and eczema did not differ significantly, while rhinitis was significantly higher (p = 0.009) among children who participated in sports. Prevalence of rhinitis increased as the frequency or duration of sports participation increased (p < 0.01). The prevalence of new-onset rhinitis increased significantly among 10-year-olds with increasing duration of participation in sports (p = 0.03). Among those who participated in continuous sports activities, the prevalence of rhinitis was significantly higher with prolonged eczema (p = 0.006). Sports activities did not increase sensitization to inhalant allergens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sports activities enhance the prevalence of rhinitis in schoolchildren. Prolonged eczema, together with sports participation, further promotes the symptoms. The mechanisms of these novel findings warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shiga Medical Center for Children, Shiga, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.affiliation: Kyoto University Health Service, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.affiliation: Kumiko Allergy Clinic, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mukaida
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishikomori
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heike
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011153:Population; D015995:Prevalence; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood; allergy; epidemiology; questionnaire; rhinitis; schoolchildren; sports