The Burden of Rhinitis and Rhinoconjunctivitis in Adolescents.
- Author:
Fabio CIBELLA
1
;
Giuliana FERRANTE
;
Giuseppina CUTTITTA
;
Salvatore BUCCHIERI
;
Mario R MELIS
;
Stefania LA GRUTTA
;
Giovanni VIEGI
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Rhinitis; conjunctivitis; epidemiology; asthma; children
- MeSH: Adolescent*; Asthma; Child; Conjunctivitis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Motor Vehicles; Parents; Prevalence; Quality of Life; Rhinitis*; Risk Factors; Skin; Smoke; Surveys and Questionnaires
- From:Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research 2015;7(1):44-50
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: PURPOSE: Rhinitis and conjunctivitis are common diseases worldwide that are frequently associated. Nevertheless, the risk factors for rhinoconjunctivitis are not well-described and the impact of conjunctivitis on rhinitis and asthma in children remains unknown. This study explored the different risk factors and evaluated the burden of rhinoconjunctivitis among adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a random sample of schoolchildren, aged 10-17 years, using skin prick tests and a self-administered questionnaire on respiratory health investigating the impact of rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis on daily activities. RESULTS: A complete evaluation was obtained for 2,150 children. The prevalence of rhinitis alone was 18.2% and rhinitis associated with conjunctivitis was 20.5%. Rhinoconjunctivitis was more frequently associated with females, a parental history of atopy, domestic exposure to mold/dampness, passive smoke exposure, and reported truck traffic in residential streets. Moreover, rhinoconjunctivitis was associated with a higher level of allergic sensitization. The prevalence of current asthma was 1.7% in subjects without rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis, 5.1% in rhinitis and 10.7% in rhinoconjunctivitis. In a logistic model, rhinoconjunctivitis yielded a 2-fold risk for current asthma with respect to rhinitis. Subjects with rhinoconjunctivitis had poorer quality of life (QoL); there was an impact on daily activities in 4.6% of rhinitis and 10.7% of rhinoconjunctivitis. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular symptoms increase the role of rhinitis as a risk factor for asthma and its impact on daily activities in children.
