title: Impact of allergic rhinitis symptoms on quality of life in primary care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis (AR) impairs quality of life (QoL), sleep and work. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) classification is widely used, but the impact of the different symptoms on QoL is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe characteristics of patients consulting in primary care for AR and to study the impact of AR symptoms and the ARIA classes on QoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter prospective observational cross-sectional study assessed the visual analogue scale (VAS) in the management of AR in 990 patients consulting general practitioners for AR. Patients were classified according to the four classes of ARIA. VAS, Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and total symptom score (TSS) for nasal and non-nasal symptoms were evaluated. VAS and TSS measures were compared with RQLQ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mild intermittent rhinitis was diagnosed in 20% of patients, mild persistent rhinitis in 17%, moderate/severe intermittent rhinitis in 15% and moderate/severe persistent rhinitis in 48%. The presence of treatments did not affect VAS levels. Both severity and duration of rhinitis had an impact on QoL and VAS levels. Ocular symptoms (OR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.965-3.939) including eyelid edema (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.274-3.360) and asthenia (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.922-3.877) had more impact on RQLQ than nasal obstruction (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.078-2.405) and nasal pruritus (OR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.028-2.042). Sneezing and rhinorrhea did not impact RQLQ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirmed that ocular symptoms and, to a lesser degree, nasal obstruction and pruritus have a significant impact on QoL.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France. jean.bousquet@orange.fr
authors.forename: Philippe Jean
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demoly
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devillier
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mesbah
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bousquet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult