Allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma classification correlations.

OBJECTIVE

Allergic rhinitis is inflammation of the nasal mucosa following exposure to allergens. A few studies have investigated how the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma classification correlates with symptom severity and skin prick test results in allergic rhinitis patients. Our objective was to evaluate such a correlation.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The study population consisted of 268 patients who had allergic symptoms and were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis.

RESULTS

Analysis of the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma classification with regard to symptom severity revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the groups for nasal symptoms, wheezing, eye itching/watering and eye redness. Symptom frequency and severity increased gradually towards the moderate to severe persistent allergic group. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups for grass pollen and house dust mite allergy.

CONCLUSION

The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma classification, which takes symptoms and quality of life into consideration in addition to allergen exposure, is a useful classification system for allergic rhinitis.