title: Chronic rhinitis in South Africa: update 2013.
abstract: The term rhinitis implies inflammation of the lining of the nose. Characteristic symptoms are a blocked nose, anterior and posterior rhinorrhea, sneezing and itching. Not all cases of chronic rhinitis have an allergic basis. Chronic non-allergic rhinitis is defined as a condition where ongoing rhinitic symptoms are present for many months (as for persistent allergic rhinitis) but there is no IgE basis. Many common conditions may present as chronic rhinitis, which will need to be investigated and managed on their own merits. Not all cases of chronic rhinitis respond to allergic rhinitis therapy: continued attempts to manage chronic rhinitis as allergic rhinitis may be hampered by pathophysiological conditions where other specific therapy may be required. Chronic rhinitis impacts on patient quality of life, and therefore therapy is important. Managing patients with chronic rhinitis requires attention to patient education in order to achieve the maximal therapeutic benefit of medication. This update is intended to provide clinicians with a sound basis for management of a common condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Pretoria, South Africa. robin.green@up.ac.za
authors.forename: Robin John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hockman
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Marinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Riaz
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seedat
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Els
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology