Demographics and clinical features of pediatric patients with allergic rhinitis: a single-center study from Western Turkey.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a disease that has significant effects on the quality of life of people and exhibits different phenotypic features with different clinical findings. By analyzing the data of pediatric patients, we aimed to reveal the relationship between demographic and laboratory data and clinical features and to gain awareness about allergic rhinitis phenotypes in children.

Methods: Demographic data, clinical complaints, physical examination findings, and atopy biomarkers are retrospectively analyzed to assess the impact of aeroallergens on the disease phenotype.

Results: In a study of 301 AR patients (median age 11 years; 66.1% male), sneezing (79.1%) was the most common complaint, and pallor of the nasal mucosa was the primary examination finding (83.1%). Persistent symptoms were reported by 62.1%, and 60.5% were polysensitized. Notably, 42.5% had asthma, often associated with concurrent sensitization to mold or animal dander (p ≤ 0.05). Pollen was the most prevalent allergen (65.8%), with significant increases in sensitization to pollen (p < 0.001) and animal dander (p = 0.003) with age. Patients with pollen sensitization reported more sneezing (p = 0.026) and persistent symptoms (p ≤ 0.05). Nasal congestion was predominantly seen in house dust mite-sensitized patients (78.4% with concha hypertrophy, p < 0.001). Overall, it was found that 59.7% of monosensitized patients and 63.7% of polysensitized patients reported persistent complaints.

Conclusion: This study, conducted in Western Turkey with 301 allergic rhinitis patients, revealed a high prevalence of polysensitization, particularly to pollen and animal dander. Polysensitized patients were older, exhibited higher IgE levels, and more frequently reported sneezing and rhinorrhea. Furthermore, polysensitization was linked to more persistent and severe symptoms, emphasizing the need for personalized treatment strategies for these patients. Our findings highlight the importance of developing individualized and region-specific approaches to enhance the effectiveness of allergic rhinitis management.