Po PolskuPublished in: R. Spiewak (Editor): "Pollens and Pollinosis: Current Problems". Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin (Poland) 1995, pages 60-63.
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According to epidemiological data from 1990 to 1994, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) in children was 4-20% [3,5,6] and recent study from Australia reports even the value of 40% [4]. The influence of various local environmental factors on the prevalence, the manifestation and the course of AR [1,2] is emphasized. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of AR among schoolchildren from urban and rural region in reference to various environmental factors.
A cross-sectional study among 1560 schoolchildren chosen at random and aged from 8 to 15 yrs was performed. Group A consisted of 883 children from one of the Lublin primary school (urban region). The percentage of boys was 49.5% and girls 50.5%. Group B consisted of 677 children from one of the primary school in Janów Lubelski commune (rural region). The percentages of boys and girls were 50% and 50%, respectively. A standardised questionnaire based on the Project of European Union and processed by Institute for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Pediatric Group in Rabka (Poland) was used. The questionnaire was completed by parents of children in 1994. The questionnaire consisted of three main parts: 1. personal data of child and its parents; 2. inquiries referring to AR; 3. inquiries reffering to home environmental factors. The questionnaire included inquiries referring to seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). The response rate was 85% in group A and 95% in group B.
The principal results of the study are presented in Table 1 (in % of total children). In 6.2% of children SAR was confirmed, in 5.5% of children in group A and in 7.1% of children in group B. There was no significant difference between group A and B. In 3.6% of children PAR was observed, in group A in 4.7% and in group B in 2.3% of the total. This difference was not statistically significant, too. SAR was found more often than PAR (p<0.003). Among children with SAR symptoms, boys were 65% and girls 35%, so difference between boys and girls was statistically significant (p<0,003). It was especially evident in group A (Table 2).
Table 1.
|
Group A |
Group B |
p |
Group |
p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) |
5.5% |
7.1% |
NS |
6.2% |
p<0.003 |
Perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) |
4.7% |
2.3% |
NS |
3.6% |
|
Table 2.
|
SAR |
PAR |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n |
% |
p |
n |
% |
p |
||
Group A |
boys |
31 |
73.8 |
|
24 |
66.7 |
p>0.15 |
girls |
11 |
26.2 |
p<0.02 |
12 |
33.3 |
|
|
total |
42 |
100 |
|
36 |
100 |
NS |
|
Group B |
boys |
26 |
56.5 |
p>0.6 |
9 |
60 |
p>0.8 |
girls |
20 |
43.5 |
|
6 |
40 |
|
|
total |
46 |
100 |
NS |
15 |
100 |
NS |
|
The prevalence of SAR in relation to the age of children being examined in both groups is shown in Figure 1. Among children 8-9 years old the symptoms of SAR were detected in 5.6% (4,2% in group A and 7.5% in group B). Among children 10-11 years old analogical rate was 6.7% (6.5% in group A and 6,8% in group B). Among children 12-13 years old symptoms of SAR were detected in 4.7% (5.5% in group A and 3.8% in group B). Among children 14-15 years old the symptoms of SAR presented 7.7% of them (6.0% in group A and 13.4% in group B) (Fig. 1).
The prevalence of PAR in relation to the age of children being examined in both groups is shown in Figure 2. Among the youngest children PAR was found in 2.8% (3.7% in group A and 2.1% in group B). Among children 10-11 years old the symptoms of PAR were detected in 3.8% (4.5% in group A and 3.3% in group B). Among children 12-13 years old the symptoms of PAR presented 4.4% of them (4.5% in group A and 2.3% in group B). In the oldest group of children analogical rate was 4.1% (4.2% in group A and 4.0% in group B) (Fig. 2).
Figure 1. The prevelance of SAR in relation to the age of children
Figure 2. The prevalence of PAR in relation to the age of children
The environmental factors being analysed are the following: gas-cooker as a main facility for preparing meals, gas-boiler for water heating, presence of clothes dryer, kind of energy used mainly and additionally for house heating (gas-heater in the room, central heating, electrical heater, kerosine heater, coal heater, wood burning stove, portable kerosine heater, portable gas heater, fire-place). The presence of moisture and moulds at home as well as presence of pets were taken into account. The signifficant statistical differences between environmental factors in urban and rural region were found, as shown in Table 3.
No evident relation between environmental factors and prevalence of SAR and PAR in both groups was found. It was only detected that in houses of children with PAR from group A the gas-boiler was used more often than in case of children without PAR symptoms (75% and 57.9%, respectively, p<0.05). No relation between tobacco smoking at home and prevalence of PAR and SAR was found in both groups.
Table 3.
Environmental factors |
The percentage of the positive answers |
p |
|
Group A |
Group B |
||
Gas-cooker |
96.6 |
61.0 |
p<0.001 |
Gas-boiler |
58.7 |
0.9 |
p<0.001 |
Presence of clothes dryer |
12.5 |
8.7 |
p<0.02 |
Kind of energy used mainly for house heating: |
|
||
1. central heating |
45.7 |
63.6 |
p<0.05 |
2. wood burning stove |
0.3 |
6.8 |
p<0.001 |
Additional house heating: |
|
||
1. portable kerosine heater |
1.6 |
0.8 |
NS |
2. portable gas heater |
0.8 |
0.8 |
NS |
3. wood burning stove |
0.1 |
8.1 |
p<0.001 |
4. fire-place |
3.6 |
1.6 |
p<0.02 |
Presence of pets |
41.9 |
23.1 |
p<0.001 |
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