Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jul 10;25(1):544.
doi: 10.1186/s12887-025-05885-1.

Allergen sensitization patterns in children with allergic rhinitis: insights from a four-year retrospective study in Shenzhen, China

Zhimin Zhao #  1 , Liwen Chen #  2 , Congfu Huang  3 , Zhuyan Huang  1 , Xiuju Liu  1 , Bo Hu  4 , Zhenwen Zhou  5
Affiliations

Allergen sensitization patterns in children with allergic rhinitis: insights from a four-year retrospective study in Shenzhen, China

Zhimin Zhao et al. BMC Pediatr. .

Abstract

Objective: To characterize allergen sensitization profiles in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Shenzhen, China, and assess the influence of demographic, seasonality, and comorbidities factors.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 4,279 children diagnosed with AR between April 2020 and March 2024. Serum-specific IgE against 28 common allergens was measured by immunoblotting. Sensitization was defined as sIgE ≥ 0.35 IU/mL. Data were analyzed by age, sex, season, and comorbidities using chi-square tests (P < 0.05).

Results: Sensitization to inhaled allergens (78.3%) was more prevalent than to food allergens (65.4%, P < 0.05). Dust mites (61.6%), dog dander (21.8%), and cat dander (11.4%) were the most common inhaled allergens, while milk (46.9%) and egg white (27.4%) were the leading food allergens. Sensitization to inhaled allergens increased with age, while food allergen sensitization decreased (P < 0.05). Boys exhibited higher rates of sensitization to certain allergens, and pronounced seasonal trends were observed, particularly for pollen and shellfish in summer. Children with digestive comorbidities showed broader sensitization across multiple allergens.

Conclusion: Distinct allergen sensitization patterns in Shenzhen children with AR highlight the need for region-specific diagnostic panels and integrated care, supporting more personalized management and future research directions.

Keywords: Allergen profile; Allergic rhinitis; Children; China; Food allergen; Inhaled allergen; Pediatric.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Research Project of Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen City (Approval Number: LGFYKYXMLL-2024-82). As a retrospective study, the need for informed consent was waived by the Ethics Committee. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant institutional guidelines. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Brożek JL, Bousquet J, Agache I, Agarwal A, Bachert C, Bosnic-Anticevich S, et al. Allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma (ARIA) guidelines-2016 revision. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017;140(4):950–8. - PubMed
    1. Hu Z, Xue J, Pan M, Bao Y, Zou W, Wang C, et al. Prevalence of allergen sensitization among children with allergic rhinitis in Changzhou, China: a retrospective observational study. BMC Pediatr. 2023;23(1):466. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Huang Z, Li A, Zhu H, Pan J, Xiao J, Wu J, et al. Multicenter study of seasonal and regional airborne allergens in Chinese preschoolers with allergic rhinitis. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):4754. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Subspecialty Group of Rhinology. Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of pediatric allergic rhinitis (2022, revision). Zhonghua Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2022;57(4):392–404. Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Subspecialty Groups of Rhinology and Pediatrics, Society of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese Medical Association. - PubMed
    1. Liu T, Huang Z, Zhu H, An N, Gan H, Xue M, et al. Association between urban garbage exposure and allergic diseases among sanitation practitioners: a cross-sectional study. World Allergy Organ J. 2023;16(3): 100754. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources