[Atopy and allergic disorders among Icelandic medical students.].

OBJECTIVE

To compare the prevalence of IgE-mediated sensitization, allergic disorders and possible risk factors for atopic sensitization among Icelandic medical students (n=113) to a randomly chosen age matched group previously investigated in the Icelandic part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Altogether 100 medical students participated and 102 in the control group. They were skin prick tested and they answered questions about respiratory symptoms, smoking habits, family history and home environment in childhood.

RESULTS

Only 4% of medical students reported daily smoking compared to 27% of the controls. The medical students also had a significantly lower number (mean +/- SD) of siblings (2.2+/-1.3) compared to the controls (3.9+/-1.7). The controls also shared bedrooms with older siblings in childhood three times as often. Atopic sensitization, defined as a positive (3 mm or more) reaction to at least one of nine common airborne allergens used in testing, was found in 41% of the medical students compared to 26.5% of the controls. The prevalence of asthma and urticaria was also significantly higher among the medical students.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical students have more often IgE-mediated sensitization and allergy related diseases than a controlgroup of the same age. A possible explanation to this is a lower number of siblings among medical students and a different household situation in childhood.