The etiology of
urticaria is heterogeneous and allergic responses may be involved in it. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and distribution of sensitivity to inhaled and food
allergens among patients with
urticaria in Henan province (China). The levels of specific
immunoglobulin E (sIgE) were detected using the AllergyScreen test and a total of 524/1,091 cases (48.0%) tested positive for sIgE to at least one of the 19
allergens. The most common inhaled
allergens the
urticaria patients were sensitive to were D. pteronyssinus (34.5%), cockroach (12.5%) and tree pollen mix (11.1%), while the food
allergens with the highest rate of
allergic reactions were cashew nut (8.1%), shrimp (6.8%) and crab (6.4%). The positive rates for D. pteronyssinus, dog hair, cockroach, mold mix, tree pollen mix and shrimp in the
chronic urticaria group were higher than those in the acute
urticaria group (P<0.05). Furthermore, positive rates for the majority of
allergens were higher in males than in females and were significantly different between age groups (P<0.05). The results of the present study provided information on the characteristics of
allergen sensitization of patients with
urticaria and may facilitate the prevention, diagnosis and management of
urticaria in Henan province.