Allergy history as a predictor of early onset adenoids/adenotonsillar hypertrophy among Nigerian children.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have established the association of allergy with adenoidal and tonsillar hypertrophy, and adenotonsillar hypertrophy is a well known co-morbid factor in patients with allergic rhinitis. Very little is known about the association of history of allergy with timing of first presentation in adenotonsillitis patients.

SETTING: Tertiary care urban referral hospital.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive analysis of prospectively collected data.

METHODS: All cases which had adenotonsillectomy carried out between September 2005 and September 2012 at National Hospital Abuja that met the selection criteria were recruited and analyzed on the basis of family history of allergy in first degree relatives, clinical history of allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis.

RESULT: Total of 434 cases were recruited. Mean age was 5 years (range 9 months-15 years, std. dev. 3.535). 56% of participants were aged 3 years and below. 22, 15, and 16% of participants aged 3 years and below had family history of allergy, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis respectively compared to 6, 4 and 4% for participants aged above 3 years. The mean age at onset of symptoms is 7.59, 10.32, and 13.62 months for participants with family history of allergy, clinical allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis respectively and 23.890 months for participants with no history of atopy or allergy. Family history of allergy significantly predicts onset of symptoms before age 6 months (OR 7.59, 95% CI 4.74-12.12, P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Family history of allergy and presence of clinical allergic or atopic dermatitis are related to early onset of symptoms in Nigerian children with adenoids/adenotonsillar hypertrophy.