Allergic rhinitis phenotypes based on mono-allergy or poly-allergy.

BACKGROUND

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized by typical symptoms that are dependent on inflammation. Poly-allergy is a frequent phenomenon. Phenotyping AR represents an up-to-date issue.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the number of allergies is able to define different phenotypes in patients with AR.

METHODS

83 patients (43 males, mean age 34.7 years) suffering from AR were evaluated. Sensitization, VAS for nasal symptoms perception, and nasal cytology were evaluated.

RESULTS

Poly-allergic patients perceived more severe nasal obstruction than mono-allergic ones (p = 0.0006) as well as they had more frequent sneezing (p < 0.0001). Moreover, poly-allergic patients had a more intense inflammatory infiltrate, concerning both eosinophils (p = 0.0005) and mast cells (p = 0.0001), than mono-allergic patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrates that the presence of poly-allergy could define a distinct AR phenotype in comparison with mono-allergy. It could be clinically relevant as poly-allergic patients have more intense inflammation and more severe symptoms than mono-allergic ones.