Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
Allergy. 2011 Jul;66(7):886-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02533.x. Epub 2011 Jan 21.
Multinational time-trend analyses of atopic disease have shown that the East-West gradients in prevalence are shrinking. We set out to clarify whether the disparities in the occurrence of atopy and atopic diseases in Finnish and Russian Karelia during the past 10 years have diminished and how the prevalence of atopy has evolved with successive years of birth.
Two surveys with identical methodology were performed in 1997/1998 and 2007. The study population comprised randomly selected adults, aged 25-54 years, from Finnish and Russian Karelia. Serum samples were collected for total and specific IgE measurements. Clinical data were obtained by questionnaires.
Sensitization rates to birch pollen increased from 7.8% to 14.8% (P < 0.001) and to cat from 6.1% to 10.8% (P < 0.001) in Finland. In Russia, no significant increase was found. Contrary to this, total IgE remained stable in Finland but decreased significantly (P < 0.001) in Russia. Analyses based on years of birth revealed that the prevalence of sensitization to allergens increased with successive birth years in Finland, but remained stable in Russia. Over the 10 years, self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma increased from 5.5% to 8.1% (P = 0.05) and hay fever from 8.1% to 13.2% (P < 0.001) in Finland.
Disparities in the prevalence of atopy and atopic disease between Finnish and Russian Karelia have further grown. The 'allergy epidemic' continues in Finland and is mainly attributable to the years of birth effect shown in atopy prevalence. In Russia, no signs of the epidemic are discernible, although the decrease in total IgE may indicate a change in environmental exposure.
对特应性疾病的多国时间趋势分析表明，患病率的东西梯度正在缩小。我们旨在阐明过去 10 年来，芬兰和俄罗斯卡累利阿的特应性和特应性疾病的差异是否缩小，以及特应性的流行率随着连续出生年份的变化而如何演变。
1997/1998 年和 2007 年进行了两次具有相同方法学的调查。研究人群包括来自芬兰和俄罗斯卡累利阿的随机选择的 25-54 岁成年人。采集血清样本进行总 IgE 和特异性 IgE 测量。通过问卷调查获得临床数据。
芬兰桦树花粉致敏率从 7.8%增加到 14.8%（P < 0.001），猫致敏率从 6.1%增加到 10.8%（P < 0.001）。在俄罗斯，没有发现显著增加。与此相反，芬兰的总 IgE 保持稳定，但在俄罗斯显著下降（P < 0.001）。基于出生年份的分析表明，芬兰过敏原致敏的流行率随着连续出生年份的增加而增加，但在俄罗斯保持稳定。在这 10 年中，芬兰自我报告的医生诊断哮喘从 5.5%增加到 8.1%（P = 0.05），花粉症从 8.1%增加到 13.2%（P < 0.001）。
芬兰和俄罗斯卡累利阿之间特应性和特应性疾病的患病率差异进一步扩大。“过敏流行”在芬兰仍在继续，主要归因于特应性流行率中显示的出生年份效应。在俄罗斯，虽然总 IgE 的下降可能表明环境暴露的变化，但没有流行的迹象。
