Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2013 Dec;1(4):321-332. 10.4168/aard.2013.1.4.321.

Epidemiology of allergic rhinitis in Korean children

• Hwang SH
• Jung SY
• Lim DH
• Son BK
• Kim JH
• Yang JM
• Oh IB
• Kim Y
• Lee JH
• Lee KH
• Kim SY
• Hong SC
• Lee HS

• KMID: 2262589
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2013.1.4.321

Abstract

PURPOSE
The diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (AR) is based upon the concordance between a history of allergic symptoms and diagnostic tests. This study is to investigate the epidemiology of AR by using data from National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) and data according to the AR definition in general students health screening.
METHODS
We examined medical insurance claims data of NHIC from 2004 to 2010 according to age, area, and gender. We investigated the results of Korean International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaires and skin prick tests of 14,133 students participated in health screening from 2010 to 2012.
RESULTS
The prevalence of AR according to the NHIC data was elementary school students (24.34%); middle school students (13.75%) and high school students (12.17%). The prevalence of AR was higher in boy than in girl, annually. In health screening, the prevalence of AR was elementary school students (19.50%+/-0.26); middle school students (23.19%+/-0.30) and high school students (24.11%+/-0.31). The prevalence of AR had peaking at the age late teens (P<0.0001) and was higher in boy (26.49%+/-0.38) than in girl (17.43%+/-0.35) (P<0.0001). Sensitization rate of allergen in students with AR was house dust mite (86.71%+/-0.48); pollen (41.26%+/-1.01) and molds (14.80%+/-0.52).
CONCLUSION
The prevalence according to the AR definition tended to be increased with aging in Korean children. There are some differences in the prevalence of AR in the data of NHIC and health screening study. Further investigation will be needed to reveal the causes of this difference.

Keyword

Allergic rhinitis; Epidemiology; Child; Prevalence

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Aging
Asthma
Child*
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Tests, Routine
Epidemiology*
Female
Fungi
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Insurance
Male
Mass Screening
National Health Programs
Pollen
Prevalence
Pyroglyphidae
Rhinitis*
Skin
Surveys and Questionnaires

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Changes in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis from NHIC data* in Korea 2004-2010, according to age. *NHIC data: medical insurance claims data of National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis from NHIC data have been increased annually (2004-2010) in whole population, peaking at the age 3-4.

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