Present Conditions of Patients with Nasal Allergies at the Department of Otolaryngology, Kawasaki Medical School—Rates of Asteraceae Allergen-specific IgE Antibody Positivity as Determined Using the CAP-RAST System—

Abstract

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis continues to increase year after year, and Asteraceae allergen is a major cause of allergic rhinitis. This study evaluated the sensitization to Asteraceae allergen in 2276 patients who underwent serum-specific IgE antibody evaluations using the CAP-radioallergosorbent test at the Department of Otolaryngology, Kawasaki Medical School, between 2000 and 2014. The test revealed sensitization to ragweed in 404 patients and to mugwort in 442 patients. Large fluctuations in sensitization were not observed over the 15-year study period. The prevalence of sensitization to ragweed and mugwort was highest among teenagers; no other significant differences were seen among other generations.