title: [Comparison of clinical characteristics between patients with non-allergic and allergic rhinitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze and compare the differences of clinical characteristics and comorbidities between patients with non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) and allergic rhinitis (AR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 556 out-patients were enrolled from January 2010 to June 2011. The chief complaints of the patients included at least two of the following nasal symptoms: nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and nasal itching. Based on the results of the disease history, physical examination and allergen skin prick test, the patients were classified into NAR group (n = 206) and AR group (n = 350). Detailed information including general data, nasal symptoms and signs, accompanied symptoms and comorbidities were obtained by questionnaires. A scoring was adopted to estimate the severity of disease. SPSS 13.0 software was applied for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of NAR patients (31.8 ± 16.7) was older than that of AR patients (26.3 ± 14.8), and the difference was significant (t = 4.01, P = 0.0001). While there was no significant difference on gender distribution between two groups (χ² = 0.12, P = 0.73). The percentage of nasal congestion was not significantly different between NAR and AR patients (89.8% and 92.0%, respectively; χ² = 0.26, P = 0.611). However, the symptoms of rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal itching, eyes itching, lachrymation, wheeze and cough were more popular in AR patients than those in NAR patients (all P < 0.05). Moreover, above symptoms (except cough) were more serious in AR patients, and the symptom scores were significantly higher than those in NAR patients (all P < 0.05). Most of patients with NAR (67.0%) and AR (62.9%) were moderate-severe persistent (χ² = 1.25, P = 0.264). Accompanied asthma were more common in patients with AR (12.6%) compared with NAR (2.4%), while hypertension were more common in patients with NAR (7.3%) compared with AR (1.7%), and the differences were significant (both P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NAR and AR are two different disease entities, which have different clinical characteristics, as well as different comorbidities. Further clinical study should be done on the rhinitis phenotypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Lu-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qi-lei
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Mei-ping
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yun-li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ruo-xi
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult