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ERASM, a pharmacoepidemiologic survey on management of intermittent allergic rhinitis in every day general medical practice in France
Author(s) -
Demoly P.,
Allaert F.A.,
Lecasble M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1034/j.1398-9995.2002.t01-1-13370.x
Subject(s) - medicine , medical prescription , exacerbation , nose , pediatrics , over the counter , general practice , throat , family medicine , surgery , pharmacology
Background: The actual management of intermittent allergic rhinitis is still little known about, despite the disease being very prevalent. We used a cross‐sectional survey to address this issue in everyday general medical practice in France. Methods: A total of 1321 general practitioners enrolled 3026 patients consulting for a spring exacerbation of allergic rhinitis. Both doctors and patients filled out a specific questionnaire on allergic rhinitis. Results: These patients consulted their doctor two‐and‐a‐half weeks, on average, after the onset of their symptoms. They were bothered for an average of six days per week (5.9 ± 1.7 days) and for two months per year (8.7 ± 7.7 weeks) by symptoms which largely exceed the ENT (ear, nose and throat) field, with ocular symptoms (51.7%), pharyngeal irritation (39.0%), cough (30.8%), or respiratory discomfort (17.9%). Of these patients 79.2% had some impairment of their professional life and 91.8% of their daily life. Fifty percent of patients knew to what allergens they were allergic; only 11.1% had additional laboratory tests and 10.3% had subsequent specialist consultation (for most this was with an allergologist). Prescribed drugs were oral antihistamines (92.4%) and nasal glucocorticosteroids (45.2%). Prescriptions were written for a duration of six weeks on average. Seventy‐nine percent of patients considered that the information they had received was adequate and easy to understand, but 58.2% of patients would have liked more advice. Furthermore, only 54.7% followed their doctor's prescription scrupulously, and 44% used frequent self‐medication. Conclusions: Intermittent allergic rhinitis is a real health problem because of its increasing prevalence, the induction of impaired quality of life and loss of performance, especially at work. General practitioners play a major role in this disorder; they make the diagnosis, start the treatment, give the relevant information, and monitor most of the patients.