CORRELATION BETWEEN ALLERGIC RHINITIS, ASTHMA, AND ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis are atopic diseases with the same pathogenic base with regard to the allergic reaction and the type of oversensitivity (facilitated by immunoglobulin E antibodies) with the release of numerous mediators causing allergic inflammation. The incidence of these diseases is increasing constantly. One precedes the others, or they often appear combined. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this research was to establish the correlation between allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis in children treated at our health center. METHODS: In preparation for the research, 3638 medical charts of children aged 3 to 18 years were studied. RESULTS: Processed were the cases of 142 children with allergic rhinitis (105 boys [73.9%] and 37 girls [26.1%]) who were diagnosed to have allergic rhinitis, asthma, or atopic dermatitis over the previous 4 years. The diagnosis was made on the basis of anamnesis, clinical record, skin-prick test, and consultation with the otolaryngologist. Of all the patients, 25 (17.6%) boys and 18 (12.6%) girls had atopic dermatitis, and 105 (73.9%) boys and 36 (25.3%) girls had asthma. The total number of children with atopic dermatitis was 43 (30.3%), and there were 141 (99.3%) with asthma. CONCLUSIONS: In 30.3% of the cases, the children with allergic rhinitis also had atopic dermatitis; in 99.3% of the cases, the children with allergic rhinitis also had asthma. The degree of correlation between allergic rhinitis and asthma was higher than that between allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. The boys suffered more often from allergic rhinitis, and its correlation with asthma was greater than that in girls, with whom it was combined with atopic dermatitis to a larger degree.