Polysensitization Patterns and Age-Dependent Allergen Profiles in Children from Suzhou, China: A Component-Resolved...

Allergic diseases are a major global public health issue with a rising pediatric prevalence. This study explored the allergen sensitization profiles, cross-reactivity, and polysensitization patterns among pediatric patients with allergic diseases in Suzhou, China, to inform precision prevention and treatment.

This cross-sectional study included 510 children aged 1-15 years suspected of having allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR), and allergic asthma (AS). Serum-specific IgE (sIgE) was measured for 12 aeroallergens and 14 food allergens. Component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) was performed for house dust mite (HDM)/Dust mite allergens in 120 patients.

Of the 510 children, 378 (74.12%) tested sIgE-positive. The mean age of the sIgE-positive patients was 7.03 ± 2.79 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.35:1. Among the sIgE-positive patients, 56.08% had AD, 87.83% had AR, and 29.37% had AS. Aeroallergen sensitization (90.48%) was significantly higher than food allergen sensitization (48.15%), with HDM being the most common aeroallergen (71.96%). CRD showed high positivity rates for Der p 1 and Der f 1 (both 95.83%) in 120 HDM/Dust mite-sensitized patients. Age significantly affected sensitization patterns: younger children had higher Egg and Cow's milk sensitization rates, while aeroallergen (including HDM, Dust mite, and Cat dander) sensitization increased significantly with age. Most allergens showed no gender-related differences. Polysensitization was common, with 65.34% (247/378) of patients being sensitized to three or more allergens. Significant cross-reactivity was observed between certain aeroallergens and food allergens, such as a strong correlation between Der p 10 and Shellfish (ρ = 0.88) and moderate correlations between Ragweed and Sesame/Peanut (ρ = 0.53, 0.48, respectively).

In Suzhou, allergic children show high sIgE positivity and polysensitization rates. Allergen sensitization varies with age, highlighting the need for age-specific diagnostics and CRD for precision medicine. Extensive cross-reactivity exists between aeroallergens and food allergens.