The epidemiology of ocular and nasal allergy in the United States, 1988-1994

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 2010-10, Vol.126 (4), p.778-783.e6
• Main Authors: Singh, Kavita, MD, Axelrod, Sara, MD, MPH, Bielory, Leonard, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Allergens - adverse effects; Allergies; Allergy and Immunology; atopic keratoconjunctivitis; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic illnesses; Conjunctivitis, Allergic - epidemiology; Conjunctivitis, Allergic - etiology; Conjunctivitis, Allergic - physiopathology; Diseases of cornea, anterior segment and sclera; Dust; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; giant papillary conjunctivitis; Histamine; Humans; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; nasal allergy symptoms; Nutrition; Nutrition Surveys; Ocular allergy; Ophthalmology; perennial allergic conjunctivitis; Population; Prevalence; Questionnaires; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial - epidemiology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial - etiology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial - physiopathology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - epidemiology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - etiology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - physiopathology; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; seasonal allergic conjunctivitis; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States - epidemiology; vernal keratoconjunctivitis; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.06.050

Background Allergies give rise to the fifth-leading group of chronic diseases. However, the specific prevalence of ocular allergy is poorly described. Objective We sought to provide a more accurate representation of the epidemiology of ocular allergy in the United States. Methods The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey III performed in the United States from 1988-1994 was the source for the data collected. Items from the questionnaire regarding ocular and nasal allergy symptoms in relation to skin prick testing were stratified by age, race, region, and sex. Results The sample size is 20,010: 1,285 (6.4%) reported ocular symptoms, 3,294 (16.5%) reported nasal symptoms, 5,944 (29.7%) reported both ocular and nasal symptoms, and 9.487 (47.4%) were asymptomatic. Forty percent of the population reported at least 1 occurrence of ocular symptoms in the past 12 months. Those 50 years and older have a higher frequency of isolated ocular symptoms ( P  < .001). There is an increase in the frequency of symptoms in those younger than 50 years in the populations of subjects with ocular and nasal symptoms combined and isolated nasal symptoms ( P  < .001). Ocular symptoms are more frequent than nasal symptoms in relation to animals ( P  < .001), household dust ( P  < .001), and pollen ( P