Prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome in an allergy clinic, compared with a routine ENT clinic.
OBJECTIVE
A high prevalence of chronic hyperventilation syndrome in patients with asthma has been reported. We examined whether this phenomenon extended to allergy clinic patients in general and whether the prevalence was higher in patients attending a general allergy clinic compared with those attending a routine ENT clinic in our hospital.


METHODS
We examined the prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome in unselected, consecutive patients (n = 100) seen in an allergy clinic. The validated Nijmegen questionnaire was completed by patients in the waiting room. We also administered the questionnaire to unselected, consecutive patients (n = 100) in a routine ENT clinic.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in prevalence of hyperventilation between allergy clinic and routine ENT clinic patients (25/100 vs 23/100).


CONCLUSIONS
The result indicates a high prevalence of hyperventilation amongst hospital attendees in general. Consideration should perhaps be given to the possible role of hyperventilation in symptomatology.
Ogata
N
N
Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, London, UK.
Bapat
U
U
Darby
Y
Y
Scadding
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006985:Hyperventilation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D015995:Prevalence; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires