[THE COURSE OF ASTHMA SYMPTOMS IN JAPANESE CHILDREN; THE FIRST REPORT FROM A MULTICENTER PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY]

IgE responses to multiple allergen components among school-aged children in a general population birth cohort in Tokyo

BACKGROUND

Response patterns to allergen components among Japanese children have not been studied extensively.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to examine the differences in sensitization patterns at ages 5 years and 9 years to identify longitudinal changes in the degree and patterns of sensitization in a birth cohort of Japanese children.

METHODS

Our study enrolled 984 children at aged 5 years between 2008 and 2010, and 729 children aged 9 years between 2012 and 2014. Allergic diseases were assessed using the ISAAC and UK Working Party's Diagnostic Criteria. Serum-specific IgE titers to allergen components were measured by multiplex array ImmunoCAP ISAC when the children were aged 5 and 9 years. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to characterize IgE sensitization to allergen components.

RESULTS

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis increased considerably over time (10.6%-31.2%). Furthermore, the sensitization prevalence to allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) also increased from 57.8% at age 5 years to 74.8% at age 9 years. IgE sensitization prevalence to Der f 1 (mites) was 42.1% at age 5 years and 54.3% at age 9 years. Furthermore, children were highly sensitized to Cry j 1 (Japanese cedar) (32.8% at age 5 years and 57.8% at age 9 years). Principle component analysis showed that sensitization to PR-10 cross-reactive components was independent of sensitization to mite and that no children acquired sensitization to pollen before acquiring sensitization to mite.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis and related allergen components increased from age 5 years to age 9 years in Japanese children.