Characteristics of the patients with asthmarhinitis multimorbidity.

Abstract

Introduction: Asthma and allergic rhinitis frequently coexist and have been regarded as a single airway disease. Clinical features of patients with asthmarhinitis multimorbidity may change depending on the allergic sensitization pattern. The aim of our study is to determine the frequency, type, and characteristics of the patients with asthma-rhinitis multimorbidity.

Materials and methods: Patients who were followed up with a diagnosis of asthma between 2015 and 2020 in our clinic were included in our crosssectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients, rhinitis symptoms, and atopy status according to the results of the skin prick test, and sp IgE were recorded from the patient files.

Result: Asthma-rhinitis multimorbidity was seen in 138 (113 F/25 M) out of 405 asthmatics and the mean age was 45.51 ± 13.56 years. They were younger and the age of onset of asthma was earlier than asthma patients without rhinitis. The rate of concomitant allergic rhinitis (AR) was 25.9%, and the rate of non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) was 8.1% in the entire group. There was no difference between patients with AR and NAR in terms of comorbidities such as NSAID sensitivity, nasal polyps, chronic rhinosinusitis, and bronchiectasis but, gastroesophageal reflux disease was more common in those with NAR than in those with AR (39.4%, 18.1%, respectively, p= 0.01). Of 105 asthmatic patients accompanied by allergic rhinitis, 41 (39.09%) were monosensitized, and 64 (60.95%) were polysensitized. House dust mites were found to be the most common responsible allergen in monosensitized patients. Sensitization to two allergens was the most common pattern among polysensitized patients, and mites and mold association was the most frequent. Patients with monosensitized allergic rhinitis had more severe asthma and a higher rate of NSAID sensitivity than polysensitized patients (p= 0.03, p= 0.04, respectively). There was no difference in the control level, frequency of eosinophilia, and other comorbidities.

Conclusions: Our patients with asthma-rhinitis multimorbidity were mostly polysensitized. The most responsible allergen for the sensitization was house dust mites, regardless of whether the patient was monosensitized or polysensitized.