Allergic rhinitis and atopic comorbidity. Impact on quality of life
General Medicine, 2024, 26(6), 3-8.
A. Vlaykov1, K. Miśkiewicz-Orczyk2
1 Faculty of Medicine, Trakia University ‒ Stara Zagora „Prof. D-r Assen Zlatarov“ University ‒ Burgas
2 Medical University of Silesia ‒ Katowice, Poland Faculty of Medical Sciences ‒ Zabrze, Poland
Abstract. Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR) could be a serious health issue due to its social significance, influencing quality of life, working capacity, and children’s instructional capacity. On the other side, the close relationship among atopic diseases such as allergic rhinosinusitis, bronchial asthma (BA), and atopic dermatitis is often questioned and widely discussed. Aim: This study aimed to analyze the main atopic conditions associated with allergic rhinitis, their relationship with the nasal allergies’ occurrence, and the influence on clinical symptoms manifestation as assessed by the patients’ quality of life evaluation. Materials and Methods: A total of 111 patients with allergic rhinitis were enrolled, 54 (48.65%) of which had intermittent (IAR) and 57 (51.35%) had persistent form (PAR). To properly evaluate and gain a clear picture of the quality of life impairment among selected patients with allergic rhinitis, we used a specially designed questionnaire – Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) administered to patients with sinonasal pathology, as well as a ten-point visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: In 60% of the parents of the participants we selected, a clinical manifestation of some type of atopy was observed or occurred in their lifetime, and the BA (48.6%) was the most prevalent among relatives. In the two main forms of the disease, we found differences in the distribution of the frequency of concomitant atopic diseases. Conclusions: We found that the presence of even one co-existing allergic condition contributes to the deterioration of quality of life in patients with AR.
Key words: allergic rhinitis, atopy, comorbidity, quality of life
Address for correspondence: Atanas Vlaykov, e-mail: at.vlaykov@gmail.com