Allergy in the Elderly: A Broad Clinical Spectrum Beyond Atopy

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Immunology
• Epidemiology of Allergic Diseases

Background:

• Elderly patients (≥65 years) present unique challenges in allergy clinics.
• Understanding referral patterns and disease distribution in this demographic is crucial.
• Comorbidities and age-related immunological changes impact allergic disease presentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate referral reasons for geriatric patients at a tertiary allergy clinic.
• To determine the distribution of allergic and non-allergic diseases in this population.
• To investigate comorbidity associations and allergen sensitization patterns in elderly patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 1302 geriatric patients (≥65 years) from January 2024 to December 2025.
• Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, referral complaints, and diagnoses.
• Allergen sensitization assessed via skin tests and/or specific IgE measurements.

Main Results:

• Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (39.4%) in 62.6% of patients.
• Leading complaints included rhinorrhea/sneezing (22.8%), pruritus (19.1%), and drug allergy (14.8%).
• Most common diagnoses were non-allergic rhinitis (63.2%), pruritus, drug allergy, and chronic urticaria. Pollen (42.2%) and house dust mite (32.5%) sensitivities were frequent. Chronic urticaria and ACE inhibitor-associated angioedema showed gender differences.

Conclusions:

• Elderly patients present a wide spectrum of allergic and non-allergic conditions, frequently with comorbidities.
• Drug-related reactions are common in this population, necessitating careful consideration.
• Individualized diagnostic approaches are essential for managing allergic complaints in the geriatric population due to age-related immunological changes.