COCKROACH SENSITIVITY in Allergic Rhinitis.

POSTER PRESENTATION Open Access


Cockroach sensitivity in allergic rhinitis patients;

is it significant? To see prevalence of cockroach

sensitivity in allergic rhinitis patients in

Kingston area

Tahira Batool*, Rozita Borici-Mazi

From Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting 2010

Victoria, Canada. 3-6 November 2010

Background

Role of cockroach allergy in asthma has been widely studied

and the effect of environmental control on asthma

symptoms has been established. However, the role of

cockroach sensitivity remains unknown. We have

designed this study to establish role of cockroach sensitization

on allergic rhinitis.

Hypothesis

Cockroach allergy has significant role in allergic rhinitis.

Population

Allergic rhinitis patients attending allergy and clinical

immunology clinic under Dr Rozita Borici-Mazi in Kingston

General Hospital, Kingston ON.

Method

Retrospective chart review of patients evaluated for

allergic rhinitis and underwent skin prick testing.

A cohort of 250 patients was randomly selected with

inclusion criteria being symptomatic allergic rhinitis and

positive allergy skin prick testing to usual panel of allergens.

Data collection included demographics, smoking

exposure, symptom pattern, presence or absence of

non-nasal symptoms, positive skin prick testing for

cockroach and other environmental allergens such as

dust mite, cat, dog, and seasonal pollens.

Results

Allergy to seasonal allergens was found to be the most

common (n=191, 76.4%) followed by house dust mite

(n=149, 59.6%) and cat allergen (n=118, 47.2%). Cockroach

sensitization was found in 62 (25%). Among the

cockroach sensitivity group, 8 patients had monosensitization

to cockroach. All of them had perennial symptoms.

75%of these people were residents of urban areas.

Two patients who had symptoms for more than 8 years

had developed asthma.

Conclusion

Cockroach allergy is found to be one of the significant

indoor allergens in allergic rhinitis in Kingston area.

Given the relationship of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

development, there is need to recognize this important

allergen earlier and treat it through allergen avoidance

and/or Immunotherapy, not only to treat allergic rhinitis

symptoms but also to prevent development of allergic

asthma. Further studies to establish the correlation

between allergic rhinitis and cockroach sensitization are

needed.

Published: 4 November 2010

doi:10.1186/1710-1492-6-S2-P11

Cite this article as: Batool and Borici-Mazi: Cockroach sensitivity in

allergic rhinitis patients; is it significant? To see prevalence of cockroach

sensitivity in allergic rhinitis patients in Kingston area. Allergy, Asthma &

Clinical Immunology 2010 6(Suppl 2):P11.

* Correspondence: 7TB11@queensu.ca

Department of Internal Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario,




Ann Allergy. 1978 Dec;41(6):333-6.


A comparative study of prevalence of skin hypersensitivity to cockroach and house dust antigens.

Kang B, Sulit N.

Abstract

Allergy skin tests with cockroach antigen along with various common inhalant allergens were performed on 222 atopic and on 63 non-atopic subjects. The most prevalent allergen producing a positive skin test was house dust antigen with a positive response of 72%, 78% and 57% in atopic adults, atopic children and non-atopic children, respectively. The next prevalent positive skin test was to cockroach antigen with 50%, 60% and 27%, respectively, of the three groups tested. The differences between positive cockroach hypersensitivity and house dust hypersensitivity in all three groups tested were statistically significant. Next in order of prevalence of positive skin test to common inhalants were western weeds, ragweeds and cats. Incidence of cockroach hypersensitivity was 58% among asthmatic adults and 69% among asthmatic children. The results indicate that cockroach hypersensitivity is highly prevalent and that cockroach antigen is an independent agent from house dust as a cause of immediate hypersensitivity reaction.



PMID: 569451 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE



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