The prevalence of asthma and allergies among children has become an increasing problem in the last few decades. Data on the population of children and adolescents, especially living in polluted cities, are limited and based on studies carried out in small groups. In our study, we analyzed the incidence of asthma and allergic rhinitis between 2014 and 2018. We analyzed data collected from nearly 30,000 children aged seven to eight and adolescents aged 16–17, which allowed us to assess the frequency of allergic diseases in the population of children and youth in Krakow. More than 40% of respondents reported allergic symptoms, and nearly 50% of them were not diagnosed and treated. In the group of seven- and eight-year-olds with a positive history of allergies, 52% had allergic rhinitis and 9.1% had asthma. In the group of 16–17-year-olds, allergic rhinitis was diagnosed in 35.8%, while asthma was found in 4.9% of cases. The results obtained over the course of 10 years has shown the reduction in the frequency of asthma (from 22% in the case of asthma in both age groups) and allergic rhinitis cases (from 63.9% in adolescents). In our opinion, this can be considered a positive effect of the preventive measures taken in Kraków after 2010. Although there is still a higher incidence of allergic diseases among children and young people living in urban areas compared to rural areas, the trend apparently has reversed for some diseases.

The diagnosis of drug-induced anaphylaxis (DIA) is a serious health problem. The Basophil activation test (BAT) is considered a specific in vitro provocation, and compared to in vivo provocation, it is more convenient, cheaper, and safer for the patient. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the BAT in the diagnosis of DIA. This study included 150 patients referred to a reference allergy clinic with suspected drug allergies. All patients underwent a detailed clinical evaluation supplemented with the BAT. Positive BAT results were obtained in two out of 21 patients who were to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The sensitivity and specificity of the BAT were 40% and 75% for the COVID-19 vaccine, 67% and 58% for DMG PEG 2000, and 100% and 75% for PEG 4000, respectively. Nine out of 34 patients with suspected antibiotic allergies had positive BAT results with 14 different antibiotics. Positive BAT results were also obtained with NSAIDs in two patients and with local anesthetics in three patients. The confirmation of allergy by the BAT improves the safety profile of the diagnostic work-up as it may defer the need for drug provocation, preventing potential anaphylactic reactions.