Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2017 Jul;9(4):329-339. 10.4168/aair.2017.9.4.329.

Prevalence of Self-reported Allergic Diseases and IgE Levels: A 2010 KNHANES Analysis

• Park HJ
• Kim EJ
• Yoon D
• Lee JK
• Chang WS
• Lim YM
• Park JW
• Lee JS

• KMID: 2378196
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2017.9.4.329

Abstract

PURPOSE
The prevalence of allergic diseases is known to be associated with both demographic and environmental factors. Herein, we aimed to determine significant factors associated with the prevalence of allergic diseases and with total immunoglobulin E (tIgE) and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels in Korea.
METHODS
We analyzed unweighted data collected by the 2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2,342 subjects who underwent serum tests for tIgE and sIgE to Dermatophagoides farinae, dog, and Blattella germanica, representing a sample of 16,003,645 citizens, by considering the sample weight and stratification.
RESULTS
The overall prevalence of self-reported allergic diseases was 37.6%. The prevalence rates of allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis decreased with age, whereas the asthma prevalence was not affected by the age of the subjects. When analyzed according to the type of allergic diseases, the prevalence of self-reported allergic disease was significantly associated with various factors (e.g. age, occupation, living in urban areas, and depression). The tIgE level decreased with age, but later increased. Elevation of tIgE was significantly associated with male sex, type of occupation, obesity, and smoking status. However, the risk factors for the increased sIgE levels to each allergen were quite different. Sensitization to D. farinae was more likely in young subjects, whereas the prevalence of sensitization to B. germanica was significantly higher in subjects with male sex, residing in a house (houses), and with glucose intolerance. Finally, young age and the smoking status were significantly associated with sensitization to dog.
CONCLUSIONS
Various demographic and environmental factors were significantly associated with the prevalence of self-reported allergic diseases and the levels of tIgE and sIgE to D. farinae, B. germanica, and dog in Korea.

Keyword

Allergy; demographic factors; environment; immunoglobulin E

MeSH Terms

Animals
Asthma
Demography
Dermatitis, Atopic
Dermatophagoides farinae
Dogs
Glucose Intolerance
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunoglobulin E*
Immunoglobulins
Korea
Male
Nutrition Surveys
Obesity
Occupations
Prevalence*
Rhinitis, Allergic
Risk Factors
Smoke
Smoking
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulins
Smoke

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