Allergic Rhinitis: Environmental Determinants

Joan Dunlop; Elizabeth Matsui; Hemant P Sharma

doi:10.1016/j.iac.2015.12.012

Allergic Rhinitis: Environmental Determinants

Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2016 May;36(2):367-77. doi: 10.1016/j.iac.2015.12.012. Epub 2016 Mar 10.

Authors

Joan Dunlop¹, Elizabeth Matsui², Hemant P Sharma³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Health System, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
² Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, CMSC 1102, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
³ Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's National Health System, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 111 Michigan Avenue, Northwest, Suite W-100A, Washington, DC 20010, USA. Electronic address: hsharma@childrensnational.org.

PMID: 27083109
DOI: 10.1016/j.iac.2015.12.012

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) seems to be linked to several important environmental factors that interact with underlying genetic predisposition to influence the risk of this disease. This article examines these environmental determinants of AR, and the evidence for their association with disease prevalence. Exposure to a variety of aeroallergens is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of AR. Other environmental exposures have been suggested to play potential roles in the risk of AR, including bacterial exposure, air pollution, and environmental toxicants.

Keywords: Allergen; Allergic rhinitis; Environment; Risk; Sensitization.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Air Pollution / adverse effects
Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
Humans
Rhinitis, Allergic / etiology*
Risk Factors