title: Symptom score for allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in our study population and the correlation between the Score for Allergic Rhinitis (SFAR) and nasal smear eosinophil count.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ear, nose, and throat clinic, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria; a 450-bed tertiary health facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred seventy-five consecutive, consenting patients who presented with nasal symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on the 8-parameter symptom score was collected using a semistructured questionnaire by interview. Nasal smear slides were air dried, fixed with 95% alcohol, stained using May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain, and examined under a light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 275 participants seen during the 1-year study, 116 (42.2%) were males. The mean ± SD age was 38.5 ± 16.3 (range, 14-75) years. Eighty-one (29.5%) were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis using a nasal smear eosinophil count. The most common symptom was excessive sneezing, involving 93% of patients with allergic rhinitis (P < .001). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis using SFAR was 31.6%. The SFAR cutoff was set at >8 (P < .001). The sensitivity and specificity for SFAR were 94.8% (confidence interval [CI], 90.5%-97.4%) and 95.1% (CI, 87.2%-98.4%), respectively. A high Spearman's correlation (0.88) was obtained for SFAR when correlated with nasal smear eosinophil count.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of allergic rhinitis using SFAR was 31.6%. The study shows that SFAR can be used as a simple, valid diagnostic tool in allergic rhinitis. This is important in rural settings where access to laboratory investigations might not be readily available.
authors: University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. foluologe@yahoo.com
authors: Foluwasayo Emmanuel
authors: FE
authors: Ologe
authors: Stephen Oluwatosin
authors: SO
authors: Adebola
authors: Adekunle David
authors: AD
authors: Dunmade
authors: Kayode Adebamiji
authors: KA
authors: Adeniji
authors: Benjamin Agboola
authors: BA
authors: Oyejola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004804:Eosinophils; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D055815:Young Adult