RHINITIS IN ASTHMATIC SUBJECTS

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an allergen-induced, upper-airway inflammatory disease, highly coexistent in allergic asthma patients, characterized by hyperactive airway mucosa and episodes of chronic symptoms with periods of acute exacerbation, during exposure to highly allergen?concentrated environments. In our prospective study, we report results on allergic rhinitis in 116 asthmatic patients sensitized by house dust mites. Multidisciplinary Tirana polyclinics 1 and 3 have provided the study data on patients with asthma history of 2 years up to 20 years, all sensitized by house dust mites. We found persistent symptoms of allergic rhinitis in 67 patients; intermittent symptoms in 31, and 18 did not manifest any symptoms at all. Within the subgroup of patients with persistent rhinitis symptoms, almost 40% of the patients referred to have a minimal persistent nasal obstruction only when asked by the specialist. Within the group of 98 patients with persistent and intermittent rhinitis symptoms, we found that 73 patients or 74% reported rhinitis, cough and dyspnea symptoms when exposed to highly concentrated environments with house dust mites such as closed living and working places or air conditioned and not properly ventilated closed spaces. The purpose of this study is to show the high incidence of allergic intermittent or persistent rhinitis, in asthmatic subjects sensitized by house dust mites, and the importance of the environmental factors contributing to the severity and frequency of symptoms onset.