Table 2 Characteristics of the survey population

Number of patients (M/F):

total population

57 (18/39)

51 (20/31)

52 (31/21)

51 (16/35)

50 (15/35)

261 (100/161)

“early abandoners”

25 (11/14)

25 (15/10)

26 (19/7)

26 (8/18)

25 (9/16)

134 (62/72)

“non-starters”

32 (7/25)

26 (5/21)

26 (12/14)

25 (8/17)

25 (6/19)

127 (38/89)

Mean [range] age (years):

total population

41 [19–72]

40.8[18–70]

35.3[22–61]

42 [22–70]

37.0 [18–60]

39.4 [18–72]

“early abandoners”

37.9 [19–72]

35.5 [18–67]

35.3 [23–59]

39.5[26–58]

37.4 [18–60]

37.1 [18–72]

“non-starters”

43.2 [21–63]

46 [20–70]

35.4 [22–61]

44.5 [22–70]

36.7 [18–53]

41.4 [18–70]

Mean [range] time since allergy

onset (years):

14.5

total population

11.0 [1–33]

12.0 [1–45]

13.5 [1–40]

18.8 [2–64]

12.5[2–33]

[1–64].

“early abandoners”

9.9 [2–30]

8.3 [1–45]

11.4 [1–30]

17.4 [2–54]

10.7 [2–30]

11.4 [1–54]

“non-starters”

11.9 [1–33]

15.6 [1–44]

15.5 [1–40]

20.3 [2–64]

14.2 [3–33]

15.3 [1–64]

Stated allergies:

grass pollen

78 %

84 %

58 %

96 %

68 %

77 %

house dust mite

53 %

59 %

65 %

78 %

36 %

58 %

tree pollen

67 %

45 %

52 %

90 %

40 %

59 %

animal dander

40 %

35 %

46 %

67 %

38 %

45 %

other

3 %

8 %

12 %

29 %

8 %

12 %

Moderate-to-severe impact of

allergy on personal life:

total population

79 %

77 %

81 %

96 %

96 %

85 %

“early abandoners”

82 %

65 %

81 %

92 %

96 %

83 %

“non-starters”

76 %

88 %

81 %

100 %

96 %

88 %

Moderate-to-severe impact of

allergy on professional life

total population

65 %

63 %

70 %

76 %

88 %

73 %

“early abandoners”

60 %

38 %

77 %

76 %

84 %

71 %

“non-starters”

69 %

88 %

62 %

77 %

92 %

75 %

Patient consulting a specialist as

their main physician:

total population

54 %

69 %

68 %

44 %

62 %

59 %

“early abandoners”

36 %

54 %

58 %

30 %

60 %

45 %

“non-starters”

68 %

84 %

77 %

58 %

64 %

74 %