Prevalence of allergic rhinitis in 3-6-year-old children in Wuhan of China

Summary Background Only a few prevalence studies of allergic rhinitis (AR) have been reported in China. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of AR in a population of 3–6‐year‐old children in Wuhan, China. Methods Sixteen kindergartens in Wuhan City were randomly selected; for each kindergarten, there were three classes from three grades (top, middle and bottom grade, 3–6 years old, respectively). Questionnaires generated by the authors were distributed and filled out by parents of the selected children, with a telephone interview subsequently. Skin prick test (SPT) was carried out on the children after a written consent was signed by the parents. Results A total of 1211 (89.5%) valid questionnaires were returned for evaluation. The adjusted current prevalence of AR in 3–6‐year‐old children was 10.8% with the diagnostic criterion of nasal symptoms(+) and SPTs(+). In the SPTs(+) children, the most common inhalant allergen was house dust mites (94.7%), followed by moulds (28.4%). The prevalence of AR was higher in males than that in females (13.0% vs. 7.7%, P