title: [Prevalence of allergic rhinitis among asthmatic patients in two different seasons].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis and asthma are often comorbid, and allergic rhinitis has been shown to be a risk factor for asthma in adults and children. Recently, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among bronchial asthma (BA) patients was reported to be 67.3% in Japan. However, seasonal variation in the prevalence of rhinitis in Japan remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the seasonal differences in comorbid allergic rhinitis among asthmatic patients, a survey of BA outpatients aged six years and older was conducted at the Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University. In total, 150 patients (mean age, 43.8±21.8 years old) in summer 2012 and 181 patients (mean age, 48.7±18.3 years old) in spring 2013 completed the Self Assessment of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma (SACRA) questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in BA patients was 50% in the summer of 2012 and 85.6% in the spring of 2013, indicating a significant seasonal variation. Control of asthma was significantly poorer in both seasons in patients with rhinitis compared to those without rhinitis. Furthermore, in patients with moderate/severe-persistent rhinitis, control of asthma was significantly worse than in patients with mild-intermittent rhinitis in spring 2013, but not in summer 2012.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the comorbidity rate of rhinitis among BA patients was greater in the spring than in the summer, rhinitis is thought to be closely related with asthma control regardless of the season.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamijo
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soma
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.affiliation: Community Health Science Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Ryuichiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Takehito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokuyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kase
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Medical University; Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagata
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult