title: The Impact of Sex and Age on the Prevalence of Clinically Relevant Sensitization and Asymptomatic Sensitization in the General Population.
abstract: The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of sex and age on the prevalence of sensitization to inhalant allergens. The study was performed as a part of Polish Epidemiology of Allergic Diseases study, and data concerning citizens of Wroclaw were analyzed. The participants were divided into three age groups (6-7, 13-14, and 20-44 years) with a subdivision according to sex. We randomly selected 1409 individuals, 439 people complied; the complete set of tests was performed on 421 of them. We found that 37.7 % of the study population demonstrated sensitization to at least one of the allergens tested. Positive skin tests were found more frequently in males than in females (p = 0.003); among 6-7-year-old children, the sensitization was independent of sex (p = 0.26), while in two other groups, it was higher in males (p = 0.002 and p = 0.03, respectively). Clinically asymptomatic sensitization (AS) was found more often in females than in males (p = 0.04). The higher rate of AS in women was observed only in the two younger age groups, while in the 20-44-year-old group AS did not differ between the sexes (p = 0.72). Female sex hormones may contribute to a later change in the nature of sensitization from clinically asymptomatic to symptomatic. Further studies are needed to confirm the results of our study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 66, 50-369, Wrocław, Poland. dor_anna@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dor-Wojnarowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 66, 50-369, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liebhart
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 66, 50-369, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miecielica
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 66, 50-369, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rabski
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 66, 50-369, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fal
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Bolesław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Samoliński
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 66, 50-369, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Marita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nittner-Marszalska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000276:immunology; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007114:Immunization; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D044382:Population Groups; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D012882:Skin Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Asymptomatic sensitization; Population study; Total IgE; “Prick” skin test