Individual characteristics and associated factors of hay fever: A large-scale mHealth study using AllerSearch

Takenori Inomata; Masahiro Nakamura; Masao Iwagami; Jaemyoung Sung; Masahiro Nakamura; Nobuyuki Ebihara; Kumiko Fujisawa; Kaori Muto; Shuko Nojiri; Takuma Ide; Mitsuhiro Okano; Yuichi Okumura; Kenta Fujio; Keiichi Fujimoto; Masashi Nagao; Kunihiko Hirosawa; Yasutsugu Akasaki; Akira Murakami

doi:10.1016/j.alit.2021.12.004

Individual characteristics and associated factors of hay fever: A large-scale mHealth study using AllerSearch

Allergol Int. 2022 Jul;71(3):325-334. doi: 10.1016/j.alit.2021.12.004. Epub 2022 Jan 30.

Authors

Takenori Inomata¹, Masahiro Nakamura², Masao Iwagami³, Jaemyoung Sung⁴, Masahiro Nakamura⁵, Nobuyuki Ebihara⁶, Kumiko Fujisawa⁷, Kaori Muto⁷, Shuko Nojiri⁸, Takuma Ide⁵, Mitsuhiro Okano⁹, Yuichi Okumura¹⁰, Kenta Fujio¹⁰, Keiichi Fujimoto¹⁰, Masashi Nagao¹¹, Kunihiko Hirosawa¹², Yasutsugu Akasaki¹², Akira Murakami¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Strategic Operating Room Management and Improvement, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Hospital Administration, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Digital Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: tinoma@juntendo.ac.jp.
² Department of Digital Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Precision Health, Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
³ Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
⁴ Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
⁶ Department of Ophthalmology, Urayasu Hospital, Juntendo University, Chiba, Japan.
⁷ Department of Public Policy, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
⁸ Juntendo University, Department of Medical Technology Innovation Center, Tokyo, Japan.
⁹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, International University of Health and Welfare, Chiba, Japan.
¹⁰ Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Strategic Operating Room Management and Improvement, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Digital Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
¹¹ Juntendo University, Department of Medical Technology Innovation Center, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
¹² Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Digital Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

PMID: 35105520
DOI: 10.1016/j.alit.2021.12.004

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of hay fever, a multifactorial allergic disease, is increasing. Identifying individual characteristics and associated factors of hay fever is essential for predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory (P4) medicine. This study aimed to identify individual characteristics and associated factors of hay fever using an iPhone application AllerSearch.

Methods: This large-scale mobile health-based cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2018 and May 2020. Individuals who downloaded AllerSearch in Japan and provided a comprehensive self-assessment (general characteristics, medical history, lifestyle habits, and hay fever symptoms [score range 0-36]) were included. Associated factors of hay fever (vs. non-hay fever) and severe hay fever symptoms were identified using multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses, respectively.

Results: Of the included 11,284 individuals, 9041 had hay fever. Factors associated with hay fever (odds ratio) included age (0.98), female sex (1.33), atopic dermatitis (1.40), history of dry eye diagnosis (1.36), discontinuation of contact lens use during hay fever season (3.34), frequent bowel movements (1.03), and less sleep duration (0.91). The factors associated with severe hay fever symptoms among individuals with hay fever (coefficient) included age (-0.104), female sex (1.329), history of respiratory disease (1.539), history of dry eye diagnosis (0.824), tomato allergy (1.346), discontinuation of contact lens use during hay fever season (1.479), smoking habit (0.614), and having a pet (0.303).

Conclusions: Our large-scale mobile health-based study using AllerSearch elucidated distinct hay fever presentation patterns, characteristics, and factors associated with hay fever. Our study establishes the groundwork for effective individualized interventions for P4 medicine.

Keywords: Allergic disease; Hay fever; Mobile health; Risk factors; Self-assessment.

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Dry Eye Syndromes* / complications
Female
Humans
Hypersensitivity* / epidemiology
Prevalence
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal* / diagnosis
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal* / epidemiology
Telemedicine*