Abstract
This meta-analysis compared the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or allergic asthma (AA) caused by perennial house dust mite (HDM) versus AR and/or AA caused by seasonal pollen allergy. Following a systematic search, the identified studies used the disease-specific rhinitis quality of life questionnaire or generic instruments (SF-36 and SF-12). Summary estimates obtained by meta-analysis showed that HRQL in patients with perennial HDM allergy was significantly worse than that of patients with seasonal pollen allergy, when measured by both disease-specific and generic HRQL instruments, and was reflected by an impact on both physical and mental health. A systematic review of cost data on AR and AA in selected European countries demonstrated that the majority of the economic burden was indirectly caused by high levels of absenteeism and presenteeism; there was little or no evidence of increasing or decreasing cost trends. Increased awareness of the detrimental effects of AR and/or AA on patients’ HRQL and its considerable cost burden might encourage early diagnosis and treatment, in order to minimize the disease burden and ensure beneficial and cost-effective outcomes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12948-016-0049-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
In Europe, approximately 23 % of the population is affected by allergic rhinitis (AR) [1]
Specific categories of costs (e.g. general practitioner (GP)/specialist/visits, hospitalizations, medications) varied across studies, but we found very limited or no evidence for a trend of increasing or decreasing direct and indirect costs
Similar findings were reported by Delgado and colleagues, who observed that health-related quality of life (HRQL) was lower in Spanish patients with olive or grass pollen allergy vs. house dust mite (HDM) allergy
Summary
In Europe, approximately 23 % of the population is affected by allergic rhinitis (AR) [1]. The most common symptoms are sneezing, itchy nose, rhinorrhea, and/ or nasal congestion [2], with many patients experiencing symptoms of at least moderate severity; one study estimated that 93 % of patients with AR who consulted general practitioners had symptoms that were moderate-to-severe [3]. Studies of patients consulting general practitioners for AR reported that 18–48 % had symptoms that were not controlled by pharmacotherapy [4, 5]. Despite the bothersome nature of symptoms, AR is often trivialized by the patient; less than half (45 %) seek medical advice or treatment for their condition [4], which results in under-treatment and poor control of symptoms. A UK study found that only 18 % of patients with AR had consulted their doctor about the condition in the preceding 2 years [6].
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