Evaluation of skin prick test results in pediatric patients presenting with respiratory allergy symptoms: The role of atopy in Ýstanbul, Türkiye

INTRODUCTION: The identification of atopy, which contributes to the development of allergic diseases, is crucial for implementing early strategies, including allergen avoidance and specific therapies such as immunotherapy. Allergen sensitization is influenced by environmental factors and exhibits regional variation. This study aimed to determine the aeroallergen profile in Ýstanbul, in the Marmara region of Türkiye.
METHODS: This cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted in the Pediatric Allergy Clinic of a tertiary hospital between December 2012 and December 2016. It included patients younger than 18 years of age with respiratory allergy symptoms who attended regular outpatient follow-up and had complete clinical and laboratory records.
RESULTS: A total of 2370 children (58.5% male; mean age 6.33±3.22 years, range 0.75–18) were included. Of these, 1500 (66.6%) had asthma (AS) and 1629 (66.8%) had allergic rhinitis (AR). Skin prick testing revealed sensitization in 1119 patients (47.2%). Age, total IgE levels, eosinophil percentages, and atopy frequency differed between patients with and without AS, whereas among those with and without AR, only age and atopy showed no significant difference. House dust mites were identified as the most common aeroallergens, followed by grass pollens, while tree pollens and dog epithelium were the least common. Polysensitization was most frequently observed in patients with both AS and AR, and its prevalence increased with age.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In Ýstanbul, house dust mites were the most common aeroallergens, followed by grass pollens. Atopy was associated with a markedly increased prevalence of both AS and AR, underscoring the clinical relevance of sensitization profiling in regional pediatric populations.

Keywords: House dust mite, Ýstanbul, pediatric respiratory allergy, pollen, skin prick test.