Background
Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) is the main source of water in the Red Sea
coast in Jeddah, KSA, the workers and their families are exposed to vapor and chemicals that
affect their upper respiratory tract.
Aim
Our aim was to study the prevalence of unified airway disease [allergic rhinitis (AR) and
bronchial asthma] in SWCC Society accommodations, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE)
level and its relation to the duration of bronchial asthma, and duration of living in the
accommodations.
Patients and methods
This randomized study included 400 patients with bronchial asthma, the included patients
comprised two groups: group I (GI) (n=200) from SWCC Society accommodations and
group II (GII) (n=200) patients from outside the accommodations.
Both groups were classified according to Allergy Classification of allergic rhinitis and its impact
on asthma and blood samples for IgE taken from them.
Results
According to the classification of allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma, the persistent and
moderate–severe allergy were more common in GI (80%) and the intermittent allergy and
mild severity was 20%, while the persistent and moderate–severe allergy were less common
in GII (22%) and the intermittent allergy and mild severity was 78%.
GI patients experienced a significantly high IgE level compared with GII, higher in males
than females, and increases with the duration of living in the accommodations and duration
of bronchial asthma.
Conclusion
Unified airway disease is common in SWCC Society with a high level of IgE compared with
outside the accommodations.