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Introduction: Existing studies provide insights into the prevalence and environmental factors associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) globally. However, limitations still persist in these studies, particularly regarding cohort sizes and the duration of follow-up periods, indicating a need for more comprehensive and long-term research in these fields. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence, long-term trends, and underlying factors of these conditions in the general population of adult participants (≥19 years) in Korea. Method: We analyzed data from adult participants (≥19 years) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) study to determine the prevalence of AR and CRS from 1998 to 2021. To analyze prevalence trends before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, we employed a weighted linear regression model and obtained β-coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Between 1998 and 2021, over a span of 24 years, the comprehensive KNHANES study included 146,264 adult participants (mean age: 47.80 years, standard deviation: 16.49 years; 66,177, 49.3% men). The prevalence of AR and CRS increased from 1998 to 2021, with AR prevalence rising from 5.84% (95% CI, 5.57–6.10) in 1998–2005 to 8.99% (8.09–9.91) in 2021 and CRS from 1.84% (1.70–1.97) in 1998–2005 to 3.70% (3.18–4.23) in 2021. However, the increasing trend has slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic era. Conclusions: The significance of continuous monitoring and focused interventions for AR and CRS is underscored by this study. The observed deceleration in the rising prevalence of AR and CRS during the pandemic indicates the possibility of beneficial impacts from lifestyle modifications triggered by the pandemic. These findings call for additional research to explore potential protective effects in greater depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have used serum periostin levels as a biomarker of Th2-driven inflammatory responses. However, no population-based study has yet examined the association of serum periostin levels with the allergic status of children. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of periostin as a biomarker for allergy in a group of 7-year-old Korean children. Method: This prospective cross-sectional study examined 451 children (aged 7 years to 7 years and 11 months) from the general pediatric population who attended 6 different schools between June and July 2016. A total of 249 children, all of whom completed the questionnaire and skin prick test and provided blood samples, were included in the final analysis. Results: The geometric mean serum periostin level was 107.6 ng/mL (95% CI 104.5–110.7). After adjustment for confounding, serum periostin levels were significantly associated with sensitization to poly-allergens (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 1.032, 95% CI 1.006–1.059, p = 0.016) and pollen (aOR 1.020, 95% CI 1.002–1.039, p = 0.026). Serum periostin levels were also associated with eosinophil levels (adjusted β = 0.023, SE = 0.009, p = 0.010), but were unrelated to body mass index, sex, obesity, or presence of an allergic disease. Conclusions: Our results suggest thatserum periostin level may have limited usefulness as a biomarker of allergic disease in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]