Regional differences in the prevalence of sensitization to environmental allergens: Analysis on IgE antibody testing conducted at major clinical testing laboratories throughout Japan from 2002 to 2011 |
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Authors: | Takafumi Minami Yuma Fukutomi Reiko Inada Manabu Tsuda Kiyoshi Sekiya Masaki Miyazaki Fumio Tsuji Masami Taniguchi |
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Affiliation: | 1. Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization Sagamihara National Hospital, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan;2. Course of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan;3. Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Suita Municipal Hospital, Suita, Osaka, Japan |
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Abstract: | BackgroundIdentification of sensitized allergens for patients with respiratory allergy is an important step in disease care and environmental allergen control. The Japanese archipelago belongs to various climate categories due to its length from north to south which transverse the subarctic in the north to the subtropical in the south, suggesting substantial regional differences in dominant environmental allergens. However, few studies have assessed the regional differences in the prevalence of sensitization to environmental allergens.MethodsWe requested three major clinical testing laboratories to provide us with summarized results of antigen-specific IgE-antibody (Ab) measurements. These measurements were collected for clinical purposes throughout Japan from 2002 through 2011. The prevalence of positivity for IgE-Ab against 19 environmental allergens was calculated for each prefecture in order to evaluate regional differences.ResultsTest data on specific IgE-Ab of 19,969,753 orders were analyzed. The prevalence of positivity for house dust mites was high and the regional difference was low, whereas apparent regional differences were found for pollen, insects, and fungi. The prevalence of positivity for Japanese cedar was low in Hokkaido and Okinawa, while those to alder was highest in Hokkaido. Higher prevalence for insects was observed in southern areas (Okinawa and prefectures in Kyusyu).ConclusionsFindings of this study clearly demonstrated regional differences in the prevalence of sensitization to environmental allergens in Japan and the study also provides useful information for the clinician when deciding which allergens should preferentially be measured for IgE-Ab after considering regional difference. |
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Keywords: | Corresponding author. Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization Sagamihara National Hospital, 18-1 Sakuradai, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0392, Japan. Allergic rhinitis Asthma Environmental allergen IgE antibody Regional differences Ab antibody CV coefficient of variation HDM house dust mite IQR interquartile range |
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