title: Clinical characteristics associated with conjunctival inflammation in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis affects up to 30% of the general population worldwide and is increasing in prevalence. Among several comorbidities, conjunctivitis is probably the most common and occurs so frequently with allergic rhinitis that the term allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) has been coined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The cytological characteristics of conjunctival inflammation in patients with ARC were assessed and then correlated to clinical characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one patients with clinically diagnosed ARC (23 men; 32.4 ± 13.5 years old) underwent a detailed clinical history and standard diagnostic allergy workup as well as nasal and conjunctival scraping for cytological analysis. Patients were subdivided into 3 groups on the basis of cytological phenotype: (1) nasal and conjunctival inflammation, (2) nasal inflammation only, and (3) no mucosal inflammation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group 1 patients reported significantly higher eye itching scores (5.8 ± 2.9 on a 0-10 scale) than did patients in group 2 (3.8 ± 2.8; P = .06) or 3 (2.6 ± 2.9; P = .018) and were mostly men (81.8%). Male sex (odds ratio, 8.4; P = .005) and eye itching (odds ratio, 1.3; P = .019) significantly correlated with conjunctival inflammation. The odds of exhibiting conjunctival inflammation, at multivariate analysis, increased 13-fold for men and 1.5-fold for each point on the eye itching scale. A cutoff value of 3 or more for eye itching effectively identified patients with conjunctival inflammation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that some clinical manifestations of ARC correlate well with conjunctival inflammation.
authors: Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Gelardi
authors: Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: Maria Eleonora
authors: ME
authors: Leo
authors: University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: Vitaliano Nicola
authors: VN
authors: Quaranta
authors: Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Iannuzzi
authors: Pediatric Department, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Tripodi
authors: Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Quaranta
authors: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors: Giorgio Walter
authors: GW
authors: Canonica
authors: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino-IST-University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. Electronic address: passalacqua@unige.it.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Passalacqua
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011537:Pruritus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis; Conjunctival cytology; Nasal cytology; Scraping