Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 17, 2025
A Component-resolved Diagnostic Approach for a Study on Grass Pollen Allergens in Chinese Southerners with Allergic Rhinitis and/or Asthma
Published on: June 4, 2017
[Allergen Analysis of 4622 Children with Allergic Diseases in Shaanxi Province]
Yuan-Yuan Jia1, Hua-Jie Wu1, Jian-Feng Luo1
1Department of Pediatrics, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
Insights
This study found that in Shaanxi Province, children with allergies showed higher rates of sensitivity to allergens in boys. Inhaled allergen sensitivity increased with age, while ingested allergen sensitivity decreased, with regional variations observed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Allergic diseases are a growing concern in pediatric populations.
- Understanding allergen distribution is crucial for effective diagnosis and management.
- Shaanxi Province presents a unique demographic and environmental context for allergy research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and distributional characteristics of 19 common allergens in children with allergic diseases in Shaanxi Province.
- To analyze allergen sensitization patterns based on sex, age, and geographical region.
- To explore correlations among different allergens.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 4,622 children diagnosed with allergic diseases was studied.
- Serum allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Data were analyzed across different demographic and geographic subgroups, including cluster and correlation analyses.
Main Results:
- The overall positive rate for the 19 allergens was 62.8%.
- Milk, mold mix, dog dander, and house dust mite were the most prevalent allergens.
- Allergen sensitivity varied by sex (higher in boys), age (increasing for inhaled, decreasing for ingested allergens), and region, with specific allergens prevalent in northern, central, and southern Shaanxi.
- Four allergen categories were identified, with moderate correlations observed between certain pollen and food allergens, as well as seafood allergens.
Conclusions:
- Male children exhibited higher allergen sensitivity.
- Age-dependent trends in inhaled versus ingested allergen sensitivity were noted.
- Significant regional variations in allergen distribution exist within Shaanxi Province.
- Allergen correlations suggest potential cross-reactivity, informing clinical practice and public health strategies.
Objective:
To study the distributional characteristics of allergens in children with allergic diseases in Shaanxi province.
Methods:
A total of 4 622 children diagnosed with allergic diseases in the Asthma Center, Department of Pediatrics, Xijing Hospital from March 2015 to February 2019 were selected. Serum allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) of 19 common kinds of allergens were examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The children were divided into different groups according to sex, age and geographical regions, and the distributional characteristics of allergens of the different groups were compared.
Results:
The overall positive rate for the 19 allergens of the 4 622 children was 62.8%. The ranking of the positive rates for individual allergens from high to low were as follows: 24.2% for milk, 18.0% for mold mix, 16.7% for dog dander, 16.4% for house dust mite, 11.7% for cat dander, 10.7% for cashew, 10.6% for weed pollen, 8.8% for egg white, 7.8% for house dust, 7.7% for tree pollen, 5.6% for amaranth, 4.9% for mulberry tree, 3.6% for mango, 3.2% for beef, 2.8% for cockroach, 2.1% for crab, 1.5% for shrimp, 0.8% for pineapple, and 0.3% for shellfish. Analysis based on sex showed that the allergen positive rates in boys were higher than those in girls. Analysis by age difference showed that generally the positive rates for inhaled allergens increased along with the increase in patient age, while the positive rates for ingested allergens decreased along with the increase in patient age. Analysis by geographical regions showed that the positive rate of house dust mite in the patients from the southern part of Shaanxi, the positive rate of weed pollen in the patients from the northern part of Shaanxi and the positive rates of milk and egg white in the patients from the central part of Shaanxi were higher than those in other areas. The cluster analysis and correlation analysis showed that the 19 allergens could be roughly divided into 4 categories. There were moderate correlations among tree pollen, mulberry tree and amaranth. There were moderate correlations among mulberry tree, mango and amaranth. There was moderate correlation between shrimp and crab, and there were mild or weak correlations among most of the other allergens.
Conclusion:
Among the 4 622 children with allergic diseases in Shaanxi Province who were treated in the Asthma Center, Department of Pediatrics, Xijing Hospital, male patients showed higher sensitivity to allergens. The positive rates of inhaled allergens increased, while the positive rates of ingested allergens decreased with increase in patient age. There were regional differences in the distribution of allergens. Some allergens were correlated with each other, which may be related to cross-reaction.
