title: High sensitization to house-dust mites in patients with allergic rhinitis in the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey: A retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identification of the most common aeroallergens to which patients are sensitized in a specific area is important in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). We determined the distribution of aeroallergens, detected by skin-prick tests (SPT), in adult patients with AR in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey and compared the results with the other regions of Turkey and in the world.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of SPT performed on 1457 patients with symptoms of AR (with regard to the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma 2008 guidelines) between March 2010 and March 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. SPT were carried out with the same panel, which included grass; weeds; trees; mold; epidermal mixtures; and with two house-dust mite (HDM) extracts, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 1229 of 1457 patients (84.4%), there were positive reactions for at least one aeroallergen on the SPT. The most common aeroallergen was the HDM D. pteronyssinus (84% [n = 1033]) followed by D. farinae (78.2% [n = 962]). Grass pollen sensitivity (70.8% [n = 871]) was higher than tree or weed pollen sensitivity in this region.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most common aeroallergens in AR are HDMs of D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae in the Eastern Black Sea region in Turkey. Our study may help in developing environmental control strategies for AR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Medical Faculty, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zerrin Ozergin
authors.initials: ZO
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Ozlem Celebi
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Erdivanlı
authors.forename: Kadir Çagdas
authors.initials: KÇ
authors.lastname: Kazıkdas
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Terzi
authors.forename: Unal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozgur
authors.forename: Munir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.forename: Cemal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cingi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology; D059038:Black Sea / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D039981:Pyroglyphidae; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012882:Skin Tests; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D052179:Antigens, Plant