Hand preference in patients with allergic asthma and rhinitis

Reports have shovvn opposing results for proposed associations betvveen left-handedness and allergic diseases. İn this study we compared the distribution of right- and left-handers in a group of allergic patients and a control population with a Similiarsex and age distribution. The study (59 asthma, 50 rhinitis, 41 asthma+rhinitis; total 150 patients) and control (81 hospital personels and patients' relatives) groups were given a questionnaire that inc- luded a modified version of the Oldfield's Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The frequency of left-handedness (LS<0) in the study and control population were 10.7%, 9.9%, respectively and there was no difference betvveen two groups, statistically. The percentage of left-handers was 10.7 % in males and 9.4 % in females for the control group and 11.3 % and 10.3 % in males and females, respectively, in the study group. The distribution of han­ dedness was similiar in two sexes, vvithin the control and patient groups. Allergic patients were divided into two groups according to IgE-mediated (n=114) or non-lgE mediated (n=36). The percentage of left/handers in IgE me- diated and non-lgE mediated vvere 10.5%, 12%, respectively. There was no difference in the incidence of left- handedness among these two groups. There was also no difference in the percentage of left-handers in the al­ lergic asthma (8.5%), allergic rhinitis (% 11.1) and allergic asthma+rhinitis (12.2%) patients. As a result, There was no significant association determined betvveen the groups of allergic asthma/ rhinitis and control groups as the incidence of hand preference.