Prevalence of allergic sensitization to anemophile pollens in a pediatric population from Granadero Baigorria, Argentina

Background. Pollens are considered as major source of allergic rhinoconjuntivitis and asthma around the world. However, in pediatric population limited evidence about its role is available. Aim. To determine the prevalence of skin reactivity to pollens (trees, grasses and weeds) in pediatric patients with diagnosis of allergic rhinitis from Granadero Baigorria, Argentina. Material and method. A cross-sectional study that evaluated 280 patients of both sexes from 1 to 10 years of age with diagnosis of persistent allergic rhinitis according to ARIA guidelines. Prick tests were performed to all patients using commercial extracts of common pollens in our area (Diater Laboratories, Buenos Aires, Argentina). Seventy patients were included for each group. Skin tests were also carried out on 20 healthy children per group randomly chosen from the same study population as control group. Results. From 280 patients tested, 29 (10.3%) had positive skin tests to at least one extract of pollen. Grasses account for 47.3% (17 positive). Trees account for 44.4% from total positive prick test (16 positive). Weeds were responsible for 8.3 % (3 positive). Ligustrum lucidum was 10 times positive (27.7%) followed by Cynodon dactylon in 7 (19.4%), Poa annua in 3 (8.3%), Sorghum vulgare in 3 (8.3%), Platanus acerifolia in 3 (8.3%), Fraxinus excelsior in 3 (8.3%), Morus alba in 3 (8.3%), Ambrosia elatior in 3 (8.3%), and Zea mayz in 1 (2.7%). No patient less than two years was positive. Conclusion. Our study shows that from 280 rhinitis allergic patients, 10.3 % were sensitive to pollens. Trees and grasses were responsible for 91.7 % of total sensitization. Grasses were the most allergenic pollens. Ligustrum lucidum was the single most allergenic pollen followed by Cynodon dactylon. Sensitiveness rate to pollens increases with age. Based on these results and previous studies, we could suggest that patients with allergic rhinitis whose symptoms begin or worse in spring or summer should be tested with pollens.(AU)