RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the positive rate of allergen-specific serum IgE in local patients with allergic rhinitis, and compare the positive rate of allergen-specific serum IgE across different age groups and between sexes. METHOD: Inhalant and ingested serum allergen-specific IgE was detected in 145 patients with allergic rhinitis. Patients were grouped by age and sex, and then the positive rate was compared between the two groups. RESULT: Ninety-four out of 145 cases had positive allergen specific IgE, and the positive rate was 64.8%. There were 45 cases with single positive allergen, accounting for 47.9%. And there were 49 cases with two or multiple positive allergens, mainly inhalant allergens, accounting for 52.1%. The difference of allergen-specific IgE positive rate between men and women was not statistically significant (P>0.05); but the positive rate between adults and adolescents was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Inhalant allergen is a major cause of allergic rhinitis in local people. The positive rate of household dust mites and dermatophagoides was highest (87.4%). The positive rate of specific IgE was associated with age, and adolescents have higher positive rate than adults.