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Allergic patients have more numerous and prolonged respiratory infections than nonallergic subjects
Author(s) -
Cirillo I.,
Marseglia G.,
Klersy C.,
Ciprandi G.
Publication year - 2007
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/j.1398-9995.2007.01401.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nonallergic rhinitis , allergy , incidence (geometry) , respiratory system , confidence interval , immunology , gastroenterology , physics , optics
Background: Allergic disorders are characterized by type 2 helper T cell (Th2)‐polarization, thus physiological type 1 helper T cell (Th1)‐dependent mechanisms involved in fighting respiratory infections (RI) may be defective. It has previously been reported that allergic children have more numerous and severe RI than nonallergic ones. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the number and duration of RI in adult allergic and nonallergic subjects. Methods: Six hundred and twenty‐four subjects were studied; 202 of them were allergic (i.e. suffering from allergic rhinitis). The number of RI as well as the duration of the disease were recorded for 2 years. Results: Allergic subjects showed a significantly higher rate of RI episodes [adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 2.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.94–2.41, P < 0.001] than subjects without allergy. The number of mild RI episodes was slightly higher in allergic subjects (IRR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.50–1.89, P < 0.001), while the number of severe episodes was markedly higher (IRR = 15.71, 95% CI 10.35–23.84, P < 0.001) when compared with nonallergic subjects. Moreover, allergic patients showed a longer total duration of RI than nonallergic subjects, with a mean difference of 17.4 days (95% CI 15.5–19.4, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study provides evidence that adult allergic patients have more numerous and prolonged RI than nonallergic subjects.