Nasal eosinophil correlation with aeroallergen sensitization in children

RATIONALE: Identification of eosinophil leukocytes within the nasal mucosa and corresponding eosinophilia of the nasal secretions are common place findings in allergic rhinitis patients. We thought that sensitization to specific allergens would affect the results of the nasal eosinophil test. Therefore, we compared aeroallergen sensitization and nasal eosinophil counts in children with rhinitis.

METHODS: This study was conducted in 285 children under 18 years of age with acute or chronic rhinitis, who had had nasal eosinophil examinations and been tested for aeroallergens with the multiple allergen simultaneous test between March 2013 and February 2016 at the allergy clinic in a tertiary referral hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the patients’ medical and laboratory records and classified them according to the results of sensitization to each allergen to determine the association between nasal eosinophils and 18 aeroallergens.

RESULTS: A total of 245 children were enrolled in this study. The children’s mean age was 7.9 years and the male to female ratio was 1.75. Of the cases, 175 (71.4%) patients were sensitized to at least one of the 18 aeroallergens. In those sensitized, the mean percentage of nasal eosinophilia was 9.26%. There were significant differences in the percentage of nasal eosinophils between the groups sensitized and non-sensitized to aeroallergens (p<.001). Eighteen (8.3%) patients who were sensitized to Alternaria alternata among the 18 aeroallergens, showed the greatest mean percentage of nasal eosinophils (27.9%).

CONCLUSIONS: Nasal eosinophilia was significantly associated with sensitization to aeroallergens. In particular, patients sensitized to Alternaria alternata are more likely to have nasal eosinophilia.