SURVEY OF THE ALLERGIC STATUS OF PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL-ASTHMA IN TURKEY - A MULTICENTER STUDY

Patients diagnosed with bronchial asthma (BA) were prospectively enrol led to assess their allergen spectra and atopic status. The patients c ame from five major cities (Ankara, Izmir, Samsun, EIazig, and Adana) in different regions of Turkey. Atopic status, total IgE levels, and a llergen spectra were determined in 1149 patients and 210 controls who were spouses of the patients sharing the same environment but not cons anguinity with the patients. Total IgE levels were significantly highe r in the asthmatic patients. For both groups, total IgE levels were hi gher in both atopic and male subjects. Atopy rates were 42% in asthmat ics and 26.1% in controls, declining notably by age in both groups. Th e most commnon allergen in both groups was house-dust mite (HDM), whic h was more frequently detected in coastal regions (Samsun, Izmir, and Adana). Allergen spectra of the patients included HDM, pollens, cockro ach, pet animals, and molds in decreasing order of frequency. Phleum p ratense and Artemisia vulgaris were the most common pollens in all reg ions, whereas Olea europaea was the most common in Izmir. Pollen sensi tivity was least frequent in Elazig. For all of the regions, pet sensi tivity was less common than, and mold sensitivity was comparable to, t hat of Western countries. In conclusion, BA patients in Turkey display ed significant differences in their allergen spectra and total IgE lev els from control subjects and BA patients in Western countries.