Inhalant allergens sensitization in patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis; Review of skin test results over two years period at sultan qaboos university hospital, muscat – Oman

Background: There are geographical variations with respect to allergens presence, and therefore identification of relevant allergens in each environment is important that may have diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

Method: A review of allergy skin prick tests during (April 2008 – March 2010) is performed at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat - Oman.  A new panel of inhalant allergen extracts was introduced in April 2008. Pediatric and adult patients with a diagnosis of Asthma or Allergic Rhinitis (AR) are referred by physicians for allergy skin tests. The skin prick tests were performed according to standard method. The data were collected and analyzed using SPSS. The frequencies of positive allergens sensitization were calculated. 

Results: There were a total of 561 patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis. The number of patients with Asthma was 103 (44.7% males and 55.3 % females). In these patients, the most common allergen sensitization is Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (44.7%), followed by Dermatophagoides farinae (40.8%), Cat fur (21.4%), Dog Hair (18.4%), Russian Thistle (14.6%), Bermuda Grass (13.6%), Mosquite (11.7%), Feather Mix (7.8%), 5 Grasses Mix (5.8%), Aspergillus mix (5.8%), Chenopodiaceous (5.8%), Penicillium mix (4.9%), Compositae (4.9%), Date Palm (4.3%), Wheat pollen (3.9%), Cladosprium mix (3.9%), Cattle Hair & Epithelia (1.7%). The number of patients with Allergic Rhinitis was 458 patients (53.9% males and 46.1 % females). In these patients, the most common allergen sensitization is Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (33.8%), followed by Dermatophagoides farinae (30.1%), Russian Thistle (24.7%), Chenopodiaceous (16.6%), Dog Hair (14.6%), Cat fur (12.9%), Mosquite (12.9%), Bermuda Grass (12.4%), Date Palm (9.8%), Compositae (7.6%), 5 Grasses Mix (5.5%), Feather Mix (5%), Wheat pollen (4.4%), Cattle Hair & Epithelia (4.3%), Aspergillus mix (3.3%), Cladosprium mix (2.6%), Penicillium mix (2.4%).

Conclusion: The above data identified House dust mite as the commonest allergen sensitization (which is consistent with published data from other countries), other significant allergens are identified including date palm pollens. This will help physicians to manage allergic asthma and AR patients. Ultimately pollen count may be necessary to identify other significant environmental allergens in Oman.