Key Message
This investigation studied 2,875 children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006, aged less than 19 years, for the association between allergen sensitization and persistent asthma. Six specific IgE levels (i.e. Dermatophagoides farina, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat, dog, Alternaria, and Aspergillus) were found to contribute to asthma using bootstrap forest selection. Our findings suggested that allergen sensitization, especially to Aspergillus, is associated with asthma persistence in children after adjusting for potential confounders. Strategies to reduce sensitization may help prevent and manage asthma.