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Association of Allergic Rhinitis in Female University Students with Socio-economic Factors and Markers of Estrogens Levels

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Pathophysiology of Respiration

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((NR,volume 884))

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the association of allergic rhinitis in female university students with socio-economic factors and sex-hormone markers, including age at menarche, menstrual disorders, and selected anthropometrics indexes. The research was conducted among 640 female university students, aged 19–25 years. The measurements of body height, body mass, waist and hip circumference were taken. Each person completed a questionnaire. The occurrence of allergy was determined on the basis of answers to the questions whether the allergy and its allergens were defined on the basis of medical work-up. We found that a significantly larger number of cases of allergic rhinitis were recorded in the university students coming from families of high socio-economic level than those from lower level. Allergic rhinitis also was more frequent in the students who spent their childhood in cities than in those who lived in the countryside. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was inversely correlated to the number of siblings. There were no differences in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in relation to the birth order. The estrogen level seemed unassociated with rhinitis. However, there were slightly more allergic among females with an earlier age of menarche.

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Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland

    I. Wronka, K. Kliś & K. Jarzębak

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  1. I. Wronka
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  2. K. Kliś
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  3. K. Jarzębak
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Correspondence to I. Wronka .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nursing, Public Higher Medical Professional School in Opole, Opole, Poland

    Mieczyslaw Pokorski

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Wronka, I., Kliś, K., Jarzębak, K. (2015). Association of Allergic Rhinitis in Female University Students with Socio-economic Factors and Markers of Estrogens Levels. In: Pokorski, M. (eds) Pathophysiology of Respiration. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology(), vol 884. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2015_170

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