Prenatal risk factors and occurrence of allergic rhinitis among elementary school children in an urban city

Objectives: To investigate the incidence and prenatal risk factors for allergic rhinitis among elementary school children in an urban city. Study design: Risk factor data were collected by questionnaire and direct physical examination. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios of developing allergic rhinitis among children 6-13 years of age. Methods: From January 2006 to December 2006, we enrolled 1368 elementary school children in the study. Sampling was done by a multi-stage clustered-stratified random method to determine the study subject. All the children studied attended 12 elementary schools located in the six districts in Taipei, with two schools in each district. Odds ratios were adjusted for the confounding effects of gender, parity, maternal age at childbirth, maternal education, gestational complications, tobacco smokers in the residence, pets, carpets, molds, and air pollution. Results: The incidence of allergic rhinitis in the study was 50.1% (685/1368). Factors like gender (p < .001), parity (p < .05), carpets (p < .025), and air pollution (p < .001) increased risk, while the other factors did not (p > .05 for all). Conclusion: Gender, parity, carpets, and air pollution increased the risk of developing allergic rhinitis among elementary school children. Other potential factors such as low birth weight, maternal age at childbirth, parental education, gestational complications, presence of tobacco smokers, and exposure to pets and molds did not significantly increase risk of developing allergic rhinitis.