Serum absolute eosinophil count: bridging diagnosis and severity assessment in allergic rhinitis among children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20261545Keywords:
Allergic rhinitis, Absolute eosinophil count, Total nasal symptoms scoreAbstract
Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a non-infectious, IgE-mediated inflammatory disorder of the nasal mucosa characterized by nasal congestion, sneezing, itching, and rhinorrhoea. Diagnostic evaluation includes serum AEC, nasal smear eosinophilia, SPT, and IgE measurement. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic efficacy of serum absolute eosinophil count in identifying allergic rhinitis among children presenting with varying degrees of symptom severity.
Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 65 school going children diagnosed with allergic rhinitis aged 9-16 years. Disease severity was evaluated using TNSS. CBC and serum AEC were performed for all participants.
Results: The mean pediatric age group was 12.21 years, with 58.5% boys. Based on TNSS, 20% had mild, 47.7% moderate, and 32.3% severe disease. Elevated AEC was observed in 61.5% of children. Serum AEC showed significant positive correlation with TNSS severity (ρ=0.661, p<0.001) and excellent diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.955).
Conclusions: Serum AEC is a simple, affordable, objective biomarker for early diagnosis and severity assessment in routine clinical practice.
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