BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem and is characterised by one or more symptoms, including sneezing, itching, nasal congestion and rhinorrhea. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the features of AR and the physician's approach to the management of AR patients in four geographical regions. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey concerning AR was completed by Honorary and Corresponding Members of the Italian Society of Rhinology from different countries among 4 world geographical regions—Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa. RESULTS: The prevalence of AR was reported to be 15%–25%. Children and adolescents, as well as young adults, were the age groups more affected by AR with comorbidities of asthma, sinusitis, conjunctivitis, and nasal polyposis. Nasal symptoms of AR were more intense in the spring (51.92%) and autumn (28.85%). The most common aero-allergens were pollen and mites (67.31%), animal dander and pollutants (23.08%), and fungal allergens (21.15%). Allergen-specific immunotherapy was prescribed for both perennial and seasonal allergens (32.69%) via sublingual swallow (46.15%) and subcutaneous (32.69%) routes. For the AR patients, the most prescribed drugs were intranasal corticosteroids (86.54%) and oral H₁-antihistamines (82.69%). CONCLUSION: A network of experts can improve our knowledge concerning AR epidemiology, and together with guidelines, could assist practitioners and otolaryngologists in standardising the diagnosis and treatment of AR.
Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Africa ; Allergens ; Americas ; Animals ; Asthma ; Child ; Comorbidity ; Conjunctivitis ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dander ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Europe ; Global Health ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Mites ; Pollen ; Prevalence ; Pruritus ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Seasons ; Sinusitis ; Sneezing ; Sublingual Immunotherapy ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A recently proposed apparatus for the treatment of nasal inflammatory affections is the atomized nasal douche. The aim of the paper was to assess the efficacy of the atomized nasal douche in patients affected by acute or chronic rhinopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 60 adult patients: They were subdivided into two groups and each group consisted of 15 patients suffering from vasomotor rhinitis and 15 patients affected by acute rhinitis. The former underwent atomized nasal douche and the latter underwent nasal lavages with saline solution. We performed bacterial cultures of the nasal swab and the secretions drawn from the nasal cavity, a rhinomanometric test, an assessment of the symptomatologic score before and after the treatment in all the patients. RESULTS: At the end of treatment, there was a reduction or complete disappearance of the bacterial colonies in 23 of the 30 patients treated with the atomized nasal douche, while in the control group the same result occurred in only 10 of the 30 patients. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that the atomized nasal douche performs an efficacious lavage of the nasal cavity, representing a good support for the treatment of inflammatory processes of the nose.
Adult ; Humans ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Lavage ; Nose ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Vasomotor ; Sodium Chloride ; Therapeutic Irrigation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A recently proposed apparatus for the treatment of nasal inflammatory affections is the atomized nasal douche. The aim of the paper was to assess the efficacy of the atomized nasal douche in patients affected by acute or chronic rhinopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 60 adult patients: They were subdivided into two groups and each group consisted of 15 patients suffering from vasomotor rhinitis and 15 patients affected by acute rhinitis. The former underwent atomized nasal douche and the latter underwent nasal lavages with saline solution. We performed bacterial cultures of the nasal swab and the secretions drawn from the nasal cavity, a rhinomanometric test, an assessment of the symptomatologic score before and after the treatment in all the patients. RESULTS: At the end of treatment, there was a reduction or complete disappearance of the bacterial colonies in 23 of the 30 patients treated with the atomized nasal douche, while in the control group the same result occurred in only 10 of the 30 patients. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that the atomized nasal douche performs an efficacious lavage of the nasal cavity, representing a good support for the treatment of inflammatory processes of the nose.
Adult ; Humans ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Lavage ; Nose ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Vasomotor ; Sodium Chloride ; Therapeutic Irrigation

OBJECTIVES: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder affecting at least 2% to 4% of adult population characterized by the collapse of the pharyngeal airway. It is well established that retropalatal region is the most common site of obstruction. Consequently, many surgical techniques have been introduced. The purpose of this study is to present our preliminary results in the anterior palatoplasty (AP) compared with results of uvulopalatal flap (UPF). METHODS: Thirty-eight consecutive patients with mild-moderate OSA were prospectively enrolled into a randomised surgical protocol. Surgical success was measured primarily by satisfactory reduction in snoring, as reported by snoring assessment questionnaire (SQ) of sleep partners. Secondary outcomes measures included improvement in the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores, changes in the magnitude of pharyngeal collapse, and postoperative pain intensity. RESULTS: The ESS after AP improved from a preoperative value 8.5+/-3.7 to a postoperative mean of 4.9+/-3.2 (P<0.001) after UPF improved from a preoperative value of 8.1+/-3.5 to 5.2+/-3.2 postoperatively (P<0.001). The results of satisfactory reduction in the volume of snoring and response at polysomnographic data were also similar in both procedures. We reported a statistically significant difference of the collapse noted at Muller manoeuvre that improved from 2.7+/-1.0 on average, to 1.1+/-0.9 (P<0.001) after AP and with a lesser extent, (from 2.8+/-1.1 on average to 1.8+/-1.1; P<0.05), after UPF. The mean duration of pain was 10.8 days for UPF patients and 7.1 days for AP patients. The mean pain score in the first 3 days, was 6.8 in UPF patients and 5.1 in AP patients. CONCLUSION: The subjective and objective improvements evidenced may suggest how AP is far superior to other techniques aimed at creating a palatal fibrotic scar. In the light of these results we can suggest AP procedure as more practical and comfortable when compared to UPF.
Adult ; Cicatrix ; Humans ; Light ; Pain, Postoperative ; Prospective Studies ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Snoring ; Surveys and Questionnaires