Rhinitis (Allergic or Non-Allergic) May Lead to Asthma
Wed, October 8, 2008 at 01:59AM Rhinitis may be due to allergies – commonly known as hay fever – or it can be non-allergic, caused by a number of different factors, usually of an irritant nature. It’s an extremely annoying condition, but it’s not regarded as serious. However, a new study has shown that both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis may be related to an increased likelihood of adult-onset asthma. It’s reported in the journal Lancet , and comes from Paris researchers, using data from the European Community Health Survey.
Adults aged 20 – 44 were followed for almost 9 years. There were 6,450 patients from 14 different countries. The participants were classified into 4 groups: controls (no signs of allergy, no rhinitis); signs of allergy, but no rhinitis; non-allergic rhinitis; and allergic rhinitis. None of them had asthma at enrollment.
After 8.8 years, the proportion of those with asthma was 1.1% in the controls, 1.9% in those with allergy but no rhinitis, 3.1% in those with non-allergic rhinitis, and 4% in those with allergic rhinitis. These findings strongly suggest that, even in non-allergic people, adults with rhinitis are more likely to develop asthma than those without the condition. This means that people with rhinitis, especially allergic rhinitis, should avoid allergens or other stimuli (e.g. dust or dander) that can lead to rhinitis.
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