Prevalence of allergic rhinitis and its impact on the use of emergency care services in a group of children and adolescents with moderate to severe persistent asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and the factors associated with the use of emergency care services by children and adolescents with acute asthma submitted to inhaled corticosteroid therapy.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 126 patients treated with beclomethasone dipropionate for 3 years. The factors associated with emergency care services in the third year of beclomethasone dipropionate treatment were assessed using logistic regression models.


RESULTS
The prevalence of allergic rhinitis amounted to 74.6% (95%CI 65.9-81.7). The presence of allergic rhinitis (OR = 2.98, 95%CI 1.10-8.06) and asthma severity (OR = 2.09, 95%CI 1.05-4.44) were independent factors for emergency care services.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was high and that, combined with asthma severity, constituted the major risk factor for the necessity of emergency care services. Health professionals should attempt to make an early diagnosis of allergic rhinitis in asthmatic patients.
Lasmar
Laura M L B F
LM
Faculdade de Medicina de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. laurabl@uol.com.br
Camargos
Paulo A M
PA
Ordones
Alexandre Beraldo
AB
Gaspar
Guilherme Rache
GR
Campos
Eduardo Goulart
EG
Ribeiro
Gustavo Augusto
GA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001507:Beclomethasone