Does aeroallergen sensitivity and allergic rhinitis in children cause milder COVID-19 infection?
There are conflicting data with regard to the impact of respiratory and allergic comorbidities on the course of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children.
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between allergic diseases and COVID-19 severity in pediatric patients.
Methods:
Seventy-five pediatric patients with COVID-19 were classified according to clinical severity and evaluated in the allergy/immunology and pulmonology departments 1 to 3 months after the infection resolved. Blood was collected from the patients for a complete blood cell count and assessment of immunoglobulin and total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and skin-prick tests and spirometry tests were performed.
Results:
A total of 75 patients ages 5‐18 years were evaluated. COVID-19 was asymptomatic/mild in 44 patients and moderate/severe/critical in 31 patients. Based on allergy evaluation, allergic rhinitis was diagnosed in 19 patients (25.3%), asthma in 10 patients (13%), and atopic dermatitis in 3 patients (4%). Aeroallergen sensitivity was detected in 26 patients (34.7%). COVID-19 infection was asymptomatic/mild in 15 patients with allergic rhinitis (78.9%) and in 21 with aeroallergen sensitivity (80.8%) (p = 0.038 and p = 0.005, respectively). There was no difference in severity between the patients with and without asthma (p = 0.550). The median (interquartile range) total IgE level was significantly higher in the asymptomatic/mild group (71.8 [30.7‐211.2]) (p = 0.015). There were no differences in terms of spirometry parameters.
Conclusion:
Aeroallergen sensitization and allergic rhinitis in children may be associated with a milder course of COVID-19. The knowledge that atopy is associated with less-severe COVID-19 outcomes in children may guide clinical risk classification.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS CoV-2; aeroallergen sensitivity; allergic rhinitis; allergy; asthma; atopy; children; pulmonary function test; severity
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: From the Department of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey 2: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey 3: Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey 4: Department of Pediatrics, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, and 5: Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Publication date: 01 November 2021
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