Severity and impairment of allergic rhinitis in patients consulting in primary care.
BACKGROUND
Allergic rhinitis is a disease impairing quality of life, sleep, and work. A new classification for allergic rhinitis, Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), has recently been proposed.


OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of allergic rhinitis using ARIA definitions to determine severity and duration.


METHODS
A total of 3052 patients consulting general practitioners for allergic rhinitis were studied. Patients were classified according to the 4 classes of ARIA. In all patients, quality of life (Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality-of-Life Questionnaire), sleep (Jenkins questionnaire), and work performance (Allergy-Specific Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire) were assessed.


RESULTS
Mild intermittent rhinitis was diagnosed in 11% of the patients, mild persistent rhinitis in 8%, moderate/severe intermittent rhinitis in 35%, and moderate/severe persistent rhinitis in 46%. The severity of rhinitis has more of an effect on quality of life, sleep, daily activities, and work performance than the duration of rhinitis. In moderate/severe rhinitis, more than 80% of patients report impaired activities, as opposed to only 40% with mild rhinitis.


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that the term moderate/severe should be replaced by severe. A study in the general population is necessary, however, to assess the prevalence of the 4 ARIA classes of allergic rhinitis, especially in patients who are not consulting physicians for their symptoms.
Bousquet
Jean
J
University Hospital and Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U454, Montpellier, France. jean.bousquet@wanadoo.fr
Neukirch
Françoise
F
Bousquet
Philippe J
PJ
Gehano
Pierre
P
Klossek
Jean Michel
JM
Le Gal
Martine
M
Allaf
Bashar
B
D000328:Adult; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000523:psychology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000523:psychology*; D012890:Sleep