Introduction
Pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS), also known as oral allergy syndrome
(OAS), is a hypersensitivity reaction to specific foods caused by prior
sensitization to inhalant pollen allergens. PFAS is triggered by certain
fresh (uncooked) fruits and vegetables that cross-react with
pollen.1 Global warming has increased the levels of
carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, and ozone, which has subsequently caused
an increase in the abundance of and sensitization to pollen. The
prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, and PFAS is also increasing globally,
including in Korea. 2-6
The prevalence of PFAS in patients with pollinosis is approximately
8–63.3% in adults and 5–12.4% in children.1,7,8 A
single-center study noted a prevalence of 12.4% in Korean children with
pollinosis, while multicenter studies noted a prevalence of 42.7% in
patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), allergic conjunctivitis (AC), or
asthma.9-11 Studies on the prevalence of PFAS
typically investigated populations with AR or inhalant allergens
sensitization, which may have caused an overestimation of
prevalence.12 However, studies on the prevalence of
PFAS in the general population are lacking,
and there have only been two
cross-sectional cohort studies in Danish adults and Japanese
adolescents.13,14
AR patients with PFAS had a higher prevalence of additional allergic
comorbidities, especially anaphylaxis, urticaria, asthma, and atopic
dermatitis (AD) compared with those without.15Additionally, atopic adults with PFAS had a higher prevalence of
rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma, and chronic urticaria than atopic adults
without PFAS.16 Although these studies investigated
comorbidities in high-risk patients, few have assessed the general
population or analyzed the relationship between PFAS and allergic
diseases longitudinally.13,14
Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of PFAS in the general
population aged 6–10 years. We assessed clinical characteristics
including pollen sensitization, trigger foods, and risk factors for PFAS
by analyzing sensitization and comorbidities in early childhood from a
general population-based birth cohort study.