Differential Contributions of Inhalant and Food Allergen Sensitization to Atopic Phenotype Asthma Prevalence among Children across Age Groups

Background: Allergen sensitization is a critical factor in pediatric asthma development, yet the relative contributions of inhalant and food allergens across age groups remain poorly defined. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective prevention and management strategies. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of 983 children aged 0–18 years diagnosed with asthma between 2006 and 2011. Specific IgE to 36 regionally allergens was measured using the MAST-CLA system. Sensitization was defined as Class ≥2 reactivity. Children with sensitization to any allergen were classified as having atopic phenotype asthma; those without sensitization were classified as non-atopic. All allergens were categorized into main aeroallergens, other aeroallergens, seafood allergens, and other food allergens. Prevalence trends and correlations with atopic phenotype asthma were assessed across nine age groups. Results: Overall, 59.4% of children had atopic phenotype asthma. The prevalence of atopic phenotype asthma increased with age, rising from 33.0% in children aged 0–2 years to 82.1% in those aged 13–15 years. Sensitization to main aeroallergens also rose with age, reaching 82.1% in adolescents. In contrast, sensitization to food allergens remained low or declined over time. Correlation analysis showed a strong positive association between main aeroallergen sensitization and atopic phenotype asthma prevalence ( r =0.994), while food allergen sensitization showed weak or negative associations. Conclusions: Main aeroallergen sensitization is the predominant contributor to age-related increases in atopic phenotype asthma among children. These findings underscore the importance of early detection and targeted management of inhalant allergen sensitization in pediatric asthma care.