Epidemiological investigation of allergic rhinitis in pilots of a military command

TAI Xuhui; YANG Hongwei; WANG Xiuming; LI Kai; ZHANG Xiaohui; LIAN Yongxin; YANG Xin; CAO Hong; CHU Yanling; JIANG Yu; ZHOU Yamei; XUE Qiang

Abstract：Objective To investigate the epidemiology of allergic rhinitis among pilots in Shenyang Military Command and to analyze its epidemiologic features and risk factors. Methods A randomly chosen sample of 485 pilots in Shenyang Military Command was selected, surveyed with a questionnaire, subjected to nasal examination to screen cases of suspicious AR, and was finally diagnosed by allergen serum IgE test. Results A total of 485 questionnaires were valid. The incidence of allergic rhinitis was 13.0%. Cases of intermittent and mild AR accounted for 60.3% and 39.7% of the total respectively. The onset time was mostly in the morning (76.2%) and in August (82.5%). The main symptoms and causes were sneezing (100.0%) and temperature variation (39.7%). Inhaled allergens, including house mites/dust mites (63.5%), were the most common allergens. There was much misunderstanding about the diagnosis and treatment of AR. On the other hand, the daily (46.0%) and flight activities (15.9%) of pilots were affected by AR to different extents. Aasthma, family history and complications with other allergic diseases (such as eczema, allergic conjunctivitis) were the risk factors of allergic rhinitis (P<0.05). Conclusion The prevalence of AR is high among pilots in the original Shenyang Military Command, which can exert some effect on the daily and flight activities of pilots. Effective prevention and control of AR deserves more attention.