Abstract / Summary
Background: Inhalant allergies from airborne allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, and animal dander, substantially contribute to allergic respiratory diseases globally. Sensitization to aeroallergens is influenced by environmental, urban, and climatic factors and demographic characteristics, including age and sex. However, long-term data from large non-disease-specific patient cohorts in Jordan are unavailable, particularly those covering the COVID-19 pandemic years.
Objective: To characterize prevalence and patterns of aeroallergen-specific IgE (s-IgE) sensitization in Jordan over a 10-year period (2012-2022), evaluating associations with age, sex, and temporal trends.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 4675 serum samples from patients tested at Biolab Diagnostic Laboratories. Aeroallergen s-IgE was measured using the CE-certified EUROLINE immunoblot panel covering 29 inhalant allergens. Samples positive for cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (2.4%) or repeat tests (3.8%) were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression assessed associations of sensitization with sex, age group (<20, 20-40, >40 years), and sample collection period (2012-2015, 2016-2019, 2020-2022).
Results: Overall, 45.5% were sensitized to ≥1 aeroallergen. Males had higher odds of sensitization than females (OR = 1.35, p < 0.0001). Sensitization was most prevalent in the 20-40-year age group. Temporal analysis showed an increase in overall sensitization from 40% in 2012-2015 to 50.6% in 2020-2022. The most common sensitizers were predominantly pollens (olive pollen being the single most prevalent at 21.9%), along with cat dander (17.5%) and dust mites (~12% combined). A mixed pattern of increased sensitization to both outdoor and indoor aeroallergens was observed during the pandemic years.
Conclusions: Aeroallergen sensitization in Jordan shows significant sex-, age-, and time-related patterns, with an overall increasing trend over the past decade, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings provide a robust epidemiologic baseline to inform public health strategies, allergen mitigation, and clinical management in urban and regional contexts.