Impact of allergic rhinitis on patients with bronchial asthma in abu dhabi

Introduction   :    Respiratory allergies are rapidly increasing , with more than 300 million people affected by Asthma worldwide.Many studies have shown a strong link between Asthma and Allergic rhinitis . There are few studies in the Gulf region on asthma and allergic rhinitis and hence we made an attempt to study the impact  of allergic rhinitis on asthmatics  in a Respiratory department of a multispeciality hospital in Abu Dhabi .

Objective  :  To study the impact of  Allergic rhinitis in patients of  Bronchial asthma.  

Methods:

Study design  :  Retrospective study .

Setting           :  Respiratory department of a 50 bedded  multi speciality hospital in Abu Dhabi ,  (Ahalia Hospital).

Subjects         :  94 out of 161 patients of Asthma fulfilled the study criteria for Allergic rhinitis (ARIA guiidelines).                

Results : 94 out of 161 patients of Asthma( 58.4%)had associated Allergic rhinitis.The mean age of these patients was 34.56 among females and 35.28 among males.71.4% of female asthmatics as compared to 53.8 % males have associated Allergic rhinitis(.p<0.05).In 64%patients,Allergic rhinitis preceded the onset of asthma while 16% developed asthma earlier than rhinitis.Allergic rhinitis was graded as intermittent in 54 % patients,and moderate/severe persistent in 21% patients.Common triggering factors noted are house dust ,exposure to airconditioning and upper respratory tract infections.Asthma was well controlled in only 41% patients with allergic rhinitis.    

Conclusions : Overall incidence of allergic rhinitis was 58.4 %among asthmatics and  more in female asthmatics as compared to males . In majority of patients, allergic rhinitis preceded asthma onset, and asthma was less controlled among those with associated allergic rhinitis .