title: Epidemiology and burden of nasal congestion.
abstract: Nasal congestion, which may be described as fullness, obstruction, reduced airflow, or being "stuffed up," is a commonly encountered symptom in clinical practice. Systematic study of congestion has largely considered it as a component of a disease state. Conditions associated with congestion include nasal polyposis, obstructive sleep apnea, and anatomic variation; however, most information on the burden of congestion comes from studies of allergic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis, diseases of which congestion is the major symptom. Congestion can be caused by other rhinologic conditions, such as non-allergic rhinitis, viral or bacterial rhinitis, and vasomotor rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis affects as much as one quarter of the population worldwide and imposes a significant economic burden. Additionally, allergic rhinitis significantly impairs quality of life; congestion causes allergic rhinitis sufferers decreased daytime productivity at work or school and reduces night-time sleep time and quality. Annually, rhinosinusitis affects tens of millions of Americans and leads to approximately $6 billion in overall health care expenditures; it has been found to be one of the most costly physical conditions for US employers. Given the high prevalence and significant social and economic burden of nasal congestion, this symptom should be a key consideration in treating patients with rhinologic disease, and there continues to be a significant unmet medical need for effective treatment options for this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, USA;
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Bj
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Len
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fromer
references.citation: Pharmacoeconomics. 2001;19(9):891-9
references.pmid: 11700776
references.citation: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2001 Aug 17;50(32):682-6
references.pmid: 11785569
references.citation: Adv Data. 2007 Jun 29;(387):1-39
references.pmid: 17703793
references.citation: Am J Rhinol. 2005 Sep-Oct;19(5):529-35
references.pmid: 16270610
references.citation: Natl Health Stat Report. 2008 Aug 6;(3):1-39
references.pmid: 18972720
references.citation: Treat Respir Med. 2004;3(1):45-57
references.pmid: 15174893
references.citation: Thorax. 2000 Oct;55 Suppl 2:S79-83
references.pmid: 10992568
references.citation: Allergy. 2006 Jun;61(6):693-8
references.pmid: 16677237
references.citation: Am J Med. 2006 Mar;119(3):230-7
references.pmid: 16490466
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1997 Jun;99(6 Pt 2):S805-28
references.pmid: 9215265
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999 Mar;103(3 Pt 1):401-7
references.pmid: 10069872
references.citation: Vital Health Stat 10. 2002 May;(205):1-109
references.pmid: 15786607
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2003 Jan;45(1):5-14
references.pmid: 12553174
references.citation: Clin Exp Allergy. 1998 Jun;28 Suppl 2:3-10
references.pmid: 9678821
references.citation: Ann Intern Med. 2001 Mar 20;134(6):498-505
references.pmid: 11255528
references.citation: Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1997 Jun;116(6 Pt 2):S1-20
references.pmid: 9212028
references.citation: Rev Laryngol Otol Rhinol (Bord). 2000;121(4):237-41
references.pmid: 11233706
references.citation: Postgrad Med. 2004 Jan;115(1):13-9
references.pmid: 14755871
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001 Jul;108(1 Suppl):S2-8
references.pmid: 11449200
references.citation: Allergy. 2005 May;60(5):583-601
references.pmid: 15813802
references.citation: Allergy Asthma Proc. 2000 Jan-Feb;21(1):1-6
references.pmid: 10748945
references.citation: Treat Respir Med. 2005;4(6):439-46
references.pmid: 16336028
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1997 Jan;99(1 Pt 1):22-7
references.pmid: 9003207
references.citation: Presse Med. 2001 Jun 16-23;30(21):1049-54
references.pmid: 11471276
references.citation: Allergy Asthma Proc. 2005 Jul-Aug;26(4):268-74
references.pmid: 16270719
references.citation: Allergy. 2005 Apr;60(4):452-8
references.pmid: 15727575
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1994 Aug;94(2 Pt 1):182-8
references.pmid: 8064070
references.citation: Eur Respir J. 2004 Nov;24(5):758-64
references.pmid: 15516669