Frequency of Allergic Rhinitis in School-age Children (7-18 Years) in Tehran.

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common allergic disorders of childhood. In order to determine the frequency of AR among school-age children, a cross-sectional study was performed. One thousand, nine hundred and thirty-two children (931 boys and 1001 girls), aged 7-18 years, from 30 systematic randomly selected schools of Tehran, the capital of Iran, were investigated in this study. Screening was made on the basis of the questionnaire according to International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood protocol. Diagnosis was confirmed by history and physical examination. Four hundred and fifty-five (240 boys and 215 girls) out of 1932 screened children had AR (23.5%). Seasonal AR and perennial forms were detected in 329 and 126 cases, respectively. The symptoms of seasonal AR were noted at spring (68.7%), summer (15.8%), and fall and winter (15.5%). The total prevalence of asthma was 3.5% according to questionnaire, which was lower than the prevalence (7.2%) in the AR subjects. The prevalence of cutaneous allergy also was 35.8% in children with AR. The positive history of atopy (AR, asthma, or cutaneous allergy) in the first degree relatives was detected in 47.9% in AR cases. Moreover, the history of contact with animals was positive in 35.4% of cases with AR. AR is common among school-age children in Tehran. Coincidence of AR with asthma or cutaneous allergy is significant. Family history of allergy and history of contact with animals and cockroaches are important risk factors in the incidence of AR.