Trends in aeroallergen sensitization in Germany - An analysis of 2919 serological data sets of a university ENT department

Background: Recently, population-based birth-cohort studies provided an insight into the allergic march during childhood. Aims: Our study aimed to investigate sensitization pattern until advanced age. Patients and methods: Demographic, clinical and serological characteristics of 2919 patients with p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta oto-laryngologica 2020-05, Vol.140 (5), p.406-412
Main Authors: Gellrich, Donata, Eder, Katharina, Englhard, Anna Sophie, Gröger, Moritz
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aeroallergen
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging - immunology
birth-cohort-effect
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Germany - epidemiology
Humans
Immunoglobulin E - blood
immunosenescence
Infant
longitudinal pattern
Male
Middle Aged
Respiratory Hypersensitivity - blood
Respiratory Hypersensitivity - epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
sensitization
Young Adult
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Summary:Background: Recently, population-based birth-cohort studies provided an insight into the allergic march during childhood. Aims: Our study aimed to investigate sensitization pattern until advanced age. Patients and methods: Demographic, clinical and serological characteristics of 2919 patients with positive allergen-specific IgE between 1999 and 2019 were analyzed. We performed subgroup analysis of various age-groups and different years of birth to distinguish between age-dependent changes and birth-cohort-effects. Results: Since 1999, the proportion of sensitized children has significantly increased. The prevalence of sIgE towards most allergens reached its peak in adolescence or young adulthood. Only to mites, the highest rate of sensitization was found in childhood. With further aging, the prevalence of sIgE significantly decreased in most sensitizations. Only to Fagales, the highest rate of sensitization was observed among patients >65 years. The year-of-birth analysis proved the above-mentioned changes to be age-dependent. Further, it revealed various sensitization trends from older to younger generations. Conclusions and significance: The increased proportion of children with sensitization during the last 20 years outlines the allergy epidemic. Probably due to immunosenescence, the aeroallergen sensitization rates decreased with aging, except for Fagales. Over time, different aeroallergens gained or lost relevance, potentially due to environmental and life-style changes.
ISSN:0001-6489
1651-2251
DOI:10.1080/00016489.2020.1721559