title: Quality of life in patients with respiratory allergy is influenced by the causative allergen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to analyze health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adults with newly diagnosed respiratory allergy according to the sensitization profile for relevant aeroallergens in their usual area of residence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional, epidemiological, observational, descriptive, multicenter study in allergy clinics in Spain. The sample comprised adults diagnosed with rhinitis, asthma, or both caused by significant allergens in their residential area (olive and/or grass pollen or house dust mite). Allergic rhinitis was classified according to the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma guidelines; asthma was classified according to the Guía Españiola para el Manejo del Asma (Spanish Guideline on the Management of Asthma). HRQOL was studied according to the ESPRINT-15 questionnaire and Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. Control of asthma was measured using the Asthma Control Questionnaire 5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 1437 patients. Rhinitis was the most common respiratory disease. The HRQOL of rhinitis patients was lower in those sensitized to olive pollen only and in those with combined sensitization to olive and grass pollens. HRQOL associated with rhinitis was worse in patients diagnosed with both rhinitis and asthma than in patients diagnosed with rhinitis only. Asthma patients sensitized to olive pollen or olive and grass pollens had worse HRQOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study population, the HRQOL of patients with respiratory allergies varied with the allergen responsible for symptoms. In patients with rhinitis, the presence of asthma significantly worsened rhinitis-associated HRQOL.
authors.affiliation: Allergy UGC, Hospital Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain. juliodelgadoromero@gmail.com
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Dávila
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Ortega
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quirce
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martí-Guadaño
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000523:psychology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens