title: Occupational Rhinitis.
abstract: Occupational rhinitis (OR) involves nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, nasal itching, and/or sneezing resulting from workplace exposures. OR can have a significant negative effect on quality of life and productivity. OR can be divided into allergic or nonallergic subgroups based on the underlying pathogenesis. Certain occupational exposures place employees at greater risk for developing disease. Primary treatment is avoidance of implicated exposures. Antihistamines, saline rinses, and nasal steroids may be useful. OR can coexist with occupational asthma, and rhinitis symptoms have been reported to precede those of the lower respiratory tract. OR is has both medical and socioeconomic implications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy-Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 211 East Ontario Street Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Electronic address: l-grammer@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Leslie C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grammer
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Acid anhydrides; Allergic occupational rhinitis; Flour; High molecular weight; Laboratory animals; Low molecular weight; Nonallergic occupational rhinitis; Occupational rhinitis