title: A multicenter study of the clinical features of allergic rhinitis in central China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several epidemiological surveys of allergic rhinitis (AR) have been conducted in China. However, the clinical features of AR are still not clear enough. The aim of the current study was to perform a multicenter investigation to evaluate the clinical features of AR in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter investigation was performed in 13 allergy centers in central China. A disease-related questionnaire was completed by each patient themselves or with guardian assistance after the diagnosis of AR. The clinical features of AR and allergen profile were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven thousand four patients who were diagnosed with AR were recruited in this study. The percentages of classification of AR according to the Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma guidelines were 9.7% intermittent mild (IM), 3.1% persistent mild (PM), 33.9% intermittent moderate-severe (IMS), and 53.3% persistent moderate-severe (PMS). There were 61.6 and 42.2% AR patients who had concomitant ocular or lower respiratory symptoms in clinic. The occurrence of ocular and lower respiratory symptoms was found to be gradually increased from IM, PM, and IMS to PMS. Cold air and temperature change were the two most common factors triggering the nasal symptoms. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae were the most important allergens of central China.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has contributed to a better understanding of clinical features of AR in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Quanming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lijia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xingde
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Guoyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Pengju
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jingpei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yuanfen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiangjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fangming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Zhimao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ligang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Benchao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Weijia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications*; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens