The development of allergic rhinitis is considered to be caused by the complex interactions between genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Polymorphisms in the interleukin (IL)-13/4/4RA pathway have previously been shown to be associated with atopic diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between IL-13 R130Q, IL-4 T589C, IL4 receptor alpha (IL-4RA) I50V, or IL-4RA Q576R polymorphisms and risk of allergic rhinitis in a hospital-based Malaysian population. A case-control pilot study was undertaken and genotyping of these polymorphisms was performed using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism on 54 allergic rhinitis patients and 45 healthy individuals. Polymorphism of IL-13 R130Q showed significant difference in genotype (p 0.048) and allele (p 0.002) frequencies in allergic rhinitis when compared with healthy controls. Individuals who were GA heterozygotes (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] 3.567; 95% CI, 1.211–10.509), and carriers of A allele genotype (ORadj 3.686; 95% CI, 1.300 –10.451) and A allele (ORadj 3.071; 95% CI, 1.514 – 6.232) had an elevated risk of developing allergic rhinitis. The genotype and allele frequencies of IL-4 T589C, IL-4RA
I50V, and IL-4RA Q576R polymorphisms were not significantly different between the allergic rhinitis patients and normal healthy individuals and did not show an associated risk with allergic rhinitis. Our findings indicate that polymorphic variant of IL-13 R130Q appears to be associated with increased risk for development of allergic rhinitis in a hospital-based Malaysian population but not IL-4 T589C, IL-4RA I50V, and IL-4RA Q576 polymorphisms. Additional studies using larger sample size are required to confirm our findings and its exact role in allergic rhinitis.

Aim: To determine the prevalence and to estimate factors associated with food hypersensitivity in young children of the Lviv region in Ukraine.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional survey study was conducted between 2016 and 2017 in the Lviv region of Ukraine. A specially designed questionnaire about food hypersensitivity of young children developed and validated by M. J. Flokstra-de Blok was used after translation into the Ukrainian language. The questionnaire included 34 questions, grouped into general and detailed information. Parents of children aged 0–3 years were asked to complete the questionnaire at pre-schools and medical institutions.

Results: Among 4,500 distributed questionnaires, 3,214 (71%) were completed and processed. Parents reported that 25% of their young children had food hypersensitivity. According to the survey the most common agents involved in food hypersensitivity in young children were cow's milk (34%), egg (28%), and wheat (24%). Hypersensitivity to milk occurred in 50% of children in the age group of 1–2 years. Regional differences associated with food hypersensitivity were also found. Namely, in the Carpathians, there was more hypersensitivity to fish (27%) and honey (22%) than in other regions, while hypersensitivity to soy was detected mostly in Lviv City residents (8.5%). Unknown causes of food hypersensitivity were highly reported (34%) in the Carpathians.

Conclusion: Prevalence and some distinctiveness of food hypersensitivity revealed in four geographic and climate zones as well as in Lviv City have a considerable practical use for formulation of recommendations for children with food hypersensitivity.