Muhammad Hussain, Muhammad Omair Riaz, Mustajab Alam, Muhammad Aftab Hassan, Muhammad Zain Arshad
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: To indirectly evaluate the hygiene hypothesis in the Pakistani population by assessing the difference in aeroallergen hypersensitivity frequency among patients from urban and rural households.
Study design: Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Immunology, The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) / NUMS, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from January to December 2023.
Methodology: Patients advised skin prick test (SPT) by their treating clinicians and meeting the inclusion criteria were included. SPT was performed using six common inhalational allergens, with negative (normal saline) and positive (0.1% histamine hydrochloride) controls. Results were assessed after 15 minutes, and a wheal diameter >3 mm was considered positive. Aeroallergen sensitisation frequencies were compared between urban and rural populations using the Chi-square test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Out of 312 patients, 106 (34%) tested positive for SPT, comprising 60 (57%) males and 46 (43%) females. Among these, 44 (41%) were polysensitised to two or more than two allergens. The most prevalent allergens were house dust mite mix (59%) and Cannabis (31%), while Aspergillus was the least common (8%). A statistically significant difference (p = 0.008) was observed in aeroallergen sensitisation prevalence between urban and rural dwellers, with urban patients showing higher sensitisation rates.
Conclusion: The findings support hygiene hypothesis, demonstrating a higher frequency of aeroallergen hypersensitivity in urban populations compared to rural counterparts. The role of environmental exposures in immune system modulation underscores the impact of urbanisation on allergic diseases in the Pakistani setting.
期刊介绍：
Journal of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (JCPSP), is the prestigious, peer reviewed monthly biomedical journal of the country published regularly since 1991.
Established with the primary aim of promotion and dissemination of medical research and contributed by scholars of biomedical sciences from Pakistan and abroad, it carries original research papers, , case reports, review articles, articles on medical education, commentaries, short communication, new technology, editorials and letters to the editor. It covers the core biomedical health science subjects, basic medical sciences and emerging community problems, prepared in accordance with the “Uniform requirements for submission to bio-medical journals” laid down by International Committee of Medical Journals Editors (ICMJE). All publications of JCPSP are peer reviewed by subject specialists from Pakistan and locally and abroad.
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