Prevalence of Allergic Rhinitis Among Adults in Urban and Rural Areas of China: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of the present study was to compare the prevalence of self-reported and confirmable allergic rhinitis (AR) with positive skin prick test (SPT) results among adults living in urban and rural areas of China.MethodsAdults from a community in Beijing and a village in Baoding were selected as representative urban and rural dwellers, respectively. All eligible residents were enrolled from the population register and received a face-to-face interview using modified validated questionnaires. Equal sets of randomly selected self-reporting AR-positive and AR-negative participants who responded to the questionnaires were also investigated using skin prick tests.ResultsA total of 803 participants in the rural area and a total of 1,499 participants in the urban area completed the questionnaires, with response rates being 75.9% and 81.5% respectively. The prevalence of self-reported AR of the rural area (19.1%) was significantly higher than that of the urban area (13.5%). The elementary school of educational level increased the risk of having AR (adjusted OR=2.198, 95% CI=1.072-2.236) .The positive SPT rates among subjects with self-reported AR in the rural and urban areas were 32.5% and 53.3%, respectively; the confirmable AR prevalence of 6.2% and 7.2% among the rural and urban adults, respectively.ConclusionsThe prevalence of confirmable AR is similar between rural and urban areas in China, although there is a higher prevalence of self-reported AR in the former.

Sensitization patterns and minimum screening panels for aeroallergens in self-reported allergic rhinitis in China

“…We have previously reported that the positive SPT rate among subjects with self-reported AR was 32.5% in Baoding, in central China; with Cwa climate 29 . In the present study, we estimated that to screen >96% sensitized patients, with a 4% margin of error and a 2-tailed α value of 0.05, the size of the cohort in central China needed to be 4987.…”

Allergic and Non-Allergic Rhinitis Are Common in Obstructive Sleep Apnea but Not Associated With Disease Severity

“…These questionnaires were adapted from the well-documented and validated questionnaires used in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood and the European Community Respiratory Health Survey studies, as we have described previously. 20 Furthermore, the criteria used to diagnose AR were consistent with those of the ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma) guidelines, 10 and included a history of the typical symptoms of rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sneezing, and/ or nasal itching during the past 12 months concomitantly with positive SPT to at least one aeroallergen. NAR was diagnosed similarly based on the history of symptoms, but with a negative SPT, whereas "no-rhinitis" was classified on the basis of the absence of any of these characteristic symptoms.…”

Efficacy of indoor air purification in treating Artemisia (mugwort) pollen allergic rhinitis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

“…The reported incidence of AR is 11.8–46% worldwide [1, 2] and 11.1–19.1% [3, 4] in China. Allergen avoidance is strongly recommended for AR patients.…”