It is critical for successful management of allergic rhinitis to identify clinically relevant sensitizations. Polysensitization is a frequent phenomenon among young patients and its understanding is of significant practical importance. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to characterize the sensitization of children with newly diagnosed allergic rhinitis by skin prick – test. The study included 221 children with newly diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR) [mean age 9, range 3–17 yeаrs, 142 boys (64.25%)]. Both type and number of sensitizations were assessed. The mean age and the duration of symptoms were considered at the time of diagnosis. Sensitization to house dust mite (HDM), grass pollen and Alternaria were the most prevalent in children with allergic rhinitis. Polysensitization was demonstrated in 46.61% of children at the time of diagnosis of AR. The mean age of monosensitized children was significantly lower (8.86) than in polysensitized children (11.13) (p < 0,001). The duration of symptoms was 2.39 years in mono – and 2.63 in polysensitized children with no significant difference between both groups (p >0.05). Our study demonstrated the high prevalence of sensitization to HDM and grass allergens in children with AR. Alternaria was also found to be a relevant allergen. Polysensitization occurring frequently in children with allergic rhinitis depended upon the age of the children rather than the duration of symptoms. The results suggested that children with allergic rhinitis are polysensitized from the beginning of the disease and that polysensitization is its own phenotype.
 

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