Ragweed sensitization in Egyptian children with bronchial asthma

Abstract

Background: Ragweed pollen is a frequent cause of respiratory allergy globally. Published data on ragweed pollen sensitivity among Egyptian children are scant. With our low rainfall seasons and high temperatures, weed pollens are expected to be abundant. We therefore sought to investigate ragweed pollen sensitization among a group of atopic asthmatic children in relation to their clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 100 children, 6 to 12 years old, with physician-diagnosed bronchial asthma enrolled consecutively from the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Unit, Children's Hospital, Ain Shams University, Cairo. Sensitization to ragweed was assessed using skin prick testing (SPT). Results: Ragweed sensitization was observed in 41% of the studied children. The wheal diameters ranged between 3 and 8 mm [mean (SD) = 5.15 (1.53) mm] and the corresponding flare values were 13 – 25 mm [18.59 (3.18) mm]. Ragweed sensitization was more prevalent in suburban and rural residents compared to those living in urban regions (p =0.413). Severity of asthma, frequency of flare ups and response to treatment did not influence the rates of ragweed sensitization in our series. Conclusion: Ragweed sensitization seems common among Egyptian children with bronchial asthma; however, it did not impact the severity of asthma or response to treatment. The findings are limited by the sample size. Wider scale studies involving various locations of our country are needed to accurately outline the significance of this allergen.