Increase in Indoor Inhalant Allergen Sensitivity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South China: A Cross-Sectional Study from 2017 to 2020

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics Background of Patients with Clinical Symptoms of Suspected Allergic Diseases from February to June Between 2017 and 2020 in South China

	2017		2018		2019		2020		P-value
	Total	(%)	Total	(%)	Total	(%)	Total	(%)
d1	1257	46	1625	46	1811	46	776	60	<0.001
d2	387	59	676	56	713	60	409	71	<0.001
i6	1141	16	1367	16	1725	16	685	27	<0.001
e5	857	5	1136	6	1241	4	341	11	<0.001
f1	923	25	1277	25	1441	21	305	29	0.0268
f2	925	34	1297	34	1418	33	293	31	0.7291
f14	269	3	403	3	464	5	244	6	0.4627
f24	1011	13	1295	14	1593	11	508	19	<0.001
tIgE	2737	44	3774	43	4314	41	2371	51	<0.001

Notes: P-value for chi-square test or Fisher exact test. Significant difference: P<0.05.

Abbreviations: d1, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; d2, Dermatophagoides farina; i6, German cockroach; e5, dog dander; f1, egg white; f2, milk; f14, soya bean; f24, shrimp; tIgE, total immunoglobulin E.

Figure 1 Adjusted odds ratio of sIgE reactivities to allergens and tIgE reactivity among patients with clinical symptoms of suspected allergic diseases in south China.

Note: *P<0.05, **P<0.001.

Abbreviations: Adjusted for sex, age; d1, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; d2, Dermatophagoides farina; i6, German cockroach; e5, dog dander; f1, egg white; f2, milk; f14, soya bean; f24, shrimp; tIgE, total immunoglobulin E.

Table 2 Adjusted Odds Ratio of sIgE Reactivities to Allergens and tIgE Reactivity Among Patients with Clinical Symptoms of Suspected Allergic Diseases in Different Genders in South China

Allergens		d1		d2		i6		e5		f1		f2		f14		f24		tIgE
Gender	Year	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P
Male	2018 vs 2017	1.07	0.458	0.80	0.206	1.12	0.402	1.38	0.183	1.00	0.986	1.05	0.668	1.18	0.788	1.23	0.182	0.99	0.742
	2019 vs 2017	1.04	0.647	1.14	0.460	1.12	0.405	0.67	0.148	0.88	0.312	1.06	0.619	1.86	0.287	0.99	0.932	0.94	0.304
	2020 vs 2017	2.20	<0.001	1.81	0.004	2.17	<0.001	1.97	0.025	1.21	0.305	0.97	0.880	3.15	0.059	1.56	0.017	1.39	<0.001
Female	2018 vs 2017	0.87	0.277	0.93	0.726	0.95	0.796	1.23	0.586	0.96	0.823	0.84	0.279	0.95	0.930	1.00	0.996	0.93	0.340
	2019 vs 2017	0.93	0.571	1.06	0.767	1.00	0.973	1.12	0.766	0.74	0.073	0.77	0.090	0.97	0.960	0.86	0.463	0.84	0.025
	2020 vs 2017	1.50	0.007	1.84	0.008	1.42	0.083	3.49	0.002	1.56	0.075	1.12	0.650	0.81	0.761	1.37	0.211	1.32	0.002

Notes: P for multivariate OR, adjusted for year, age. Significant difference: P<0.05.

Abbreviations: d1, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; d2, Dermatophagoides farina; i6, German cockroach; e5, dog dander; f1, egg white; f2, milk; f14, soya bean; f24, shrimp; tIgE, total immunoglobulin E.

Figure 2 Positive rates of sIgE reactivities to allergens and tIgE reactivity of patients with clinical symptoms of suspected allergic diseases in different genders from February to June between 2017 and 2020 in south China.

Note: *P<0.05, **P<0.001.

Abbreviations: d1, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; d2, Dermatophagoides farina; i6, German cockroach; e5, dog dander; f1, egg white; f2, milk; f14, soya bean; f24, shrimp; tIgE, total immunoglobulin E.

Table 3 Adjusted Odds Ratio of sIgE Reactivities to Allergens and tIgE Reactivity Among Patients with Clinical Symptoms of Suspected Allergic Diseases in Different Age Groups in South China

Allergens		d1		d2		i6		e5		f1		f2		f14		f24		tIgE
Age	Year	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P	OR	P
0–5	2018 vs 2017	0.84	0.114	0.95	0.819	0.81	0.341	1.00	0.994	0.95	0.616	0.91	0.338	NA+	NA	1.30	0.276	0.75	0.001
	2019 vs 2017	0.83	0.081	1.08	0.737	0.80	0.299	0.60	0.160	0.88	0.263	0.96	0.666	NA	NA	0.91	0.693	0.79	0.008
	2020 vs 2017	1.41	0.040	1.77	0.067	1.02	0.962	1.35	0.532	1.32	0.133	0.91	0.574	NA	NA	1.69	0.136	1.66	<0.001
6–17	2018 vs 2017	1.19	0.368	0.50	0.030	1.02	0.912	1.65	0.121	1.24	0.931	1.66	0.057	0.20	0.182	1.44	0.145	1.01	0.948
	2019 vs 2017	0.95	0.767	0.85	0.614	0.85	0.381	0.69	0.300	0.60	0.049	1.01	0.968	0.51	0.488	0.81	0.407	0.87	0.319
	2020 vs 2017	1.91	0.005	1.37	0.396	1.45	0.076	2.19	0.035	1.54	0.149	1.61	0.138	0.50	0.579	1.21	0.531	1.46	0.026
>17	2018 vs 2017	1.21	0.185	0.96	0.862	1.34	0.096	1.27	0.630	0.86	0.855	NA+	NA	1.25	0.681	0.98	0.909	1.08	0.283
	2019 vs 2017	1.18	0.241	0.89	0.580	1.37	0.057	1.49	0.410	1.97	0.343	NA	NA	1.26	0.649	1.07	0.692	0.92	0.233
	2020 vs 2017	1.70	0.001	1.28	0.298	1.82	<0.001	3.02	0.021	3.44	0.126	NA	NA	1.94	0.187	1.25	0.273	1.22	0.070

Notes: P for multivariate OR, adjusted for year, age. Significant difference: P<0.05.

Abbreviations: NA, not applicable; +, positive rate of allergen sensitization was 0; d1, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; d2, Dermatophagoides farina; i6, German cockroach; e5, dog dander; f1, egg white; f2, milk; f14, soya bean; f24, shrimp; tIgE, total immunoglobulin E.

Figure 3 Positive rates of sIgE reactivities to allergens and tIgE reactivity of patients with clinical symptoms of suspected allergic diseases in different age groups from February to June between 2017 and 2020 in south China.

Note: *P<0.05, **P<0.001.

Abbreviations: d1, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; d2, Dermatophagoides farina; i6, German cockroach; e5, dog dander; f1, egg white; f2, milk; f14, soya bean; f24, shrimp; tIgE, total immunoglobulin E.