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Prevalence and clinical relevance of local allergic rhinitis
Author(s) -
Rondón C.,
Campo P.,
Galindo L.,
BlancaLópez N.,
Cassinello M. S.,
RodriguezBada J. L.,
Torres M. J.,
Blanca M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/all.12002
Subject(s) - medicine , aeroallergen , nonallergic rhinitis , atopy , allergy , asthma , spirometry , population , immunology , allergen , clinical significance , dermatology , environmental health
Background Evidence demonstrates the existence of local allergic rhinitis ( LAR ) in nonatopic patients, although its prevalence in the rhinitis population remains unknown. The aim, therefore, of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and severity of LAR in a S panish rhinitis population, compared with patients having classical allergic rhinitis ( AR ) with systemic atopy or nonallergic rhinitis ( NAR ). Methods A group of 452 adult rhinitis patients were randomly selected from a total of 3860 who attended our allergy service over 1 year. A clinical questionnaire, skin prick test ( SPT ), spirometry, and serum total and specific IgE ( sIgE ) were evaluated. A nasal allergen provocation test with multiple aeroallergens (NAPT‐M), including D ermatophagoides pteronyssinus , pollens, alternaria , and dog epithelia, was performed in patients with negative SPT and serum sIgE . Results A total of 428 patients completed the study; 24 were excluded because of nasal hyper‐reactivity. LAR was diagnosed in 25.7%, AR in 63.1%, and NAR in 11.2%. The LAR and AR patients had a similar clinical profile: a nonsmoking woman with severe, persistent perennial rhinitis frequently associated with conjunctivitis and asthma. More than 36% of LAR patients reported rhinitis onset in childhood. NAPT ‐M detected aeroallergen polysensitization in 37.3% of the LAR patients. D ermatophagoides pteronyssinus was the main sensitizing aeroallergen in LAR and AR (60% vs 54%, P > 0.05). Conclusions Local allergic rhinitis is a prevalent entity in patients evaluated with rhinitis. Persistent and severe symptoms associated with conjunctivitis and/or asthma and polysensitization were likely to be detected in LAR and AR .