Abstract
PurposeChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with several co-morbidities and non-infectious rhinitis (NIR) has emerged as a new possible co-morbidity. The primary aim of this study is to confirm a previously reported association between NIR and COPD in a multicentre population over time. The secondary aim is to investigate the course over time of such an association through a comparison between early- and late-onset COPD.MethodsThis study is part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). A random adult population from 25 centres in Europe and one in Australia was examined with spirometry and answered a respiratory questionnaire in 1998–2002 (ECRHS II) and in 2008–2013 (ECRHS III). Symptoms of non-infectious rhinitis, hay fever and asthma, and smoking habits were reported. Subjects reporting asthma were excluded. COPD was defined as a spirometry ratio of FEV1/FVC < 0.7. A total of 5901 subjects were included.ResultsNon-infectious rhinitis was significantly more prevalent in subjects with COPD compared with no COPD (48.9% vs 37.1%, p < 0.001) in ECRHS II (mean age 43) but not in ECHRS III (mean age 54). In the multivariable regression model adjusted for COPD, smoking, age, BMI, and gender, non-infectious rhinitis was associated with COPD in both ECRHS II and III.ConclusionNon-infectious rhinitis was significantly more common in subjects with COPD at a mean age of 43. Ten years later, the association was weaker. The findings indicate that NIR could be associated with the early onset of COPD.
Highlights
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disease of the lower airways which is seldom symptomatic before the age of 40
non-infectious rhinitis (NIR) has been associated with poor sleep and impaired rhinitis-specific health-related quality of life assessed with the sino-nasal outcome test 20 (SNOT-20) [5, 6]
We found an increase in the 5-year incidence of new-onset NIR (10.8% vs 7.4%, p = 0.005) in subjects with COPD compared with controls, in a Swedish random population, assessed with spirometry [3]
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disease of the lower airways which is seldom symptomatic before the age of 40. COPD is characterised by a chronic limitation of airflow that is not fully reversible after treatment with a bronchodilator. This chronic airflow limitation is due to a combination of small airway disease (obstructive bronchiolitis) and parenchymal destruction (emphysema). Recent epidemiological data show that COPD is associated with non-infectious rhinitis (NIR) [3]. This is further supported by findings of ongoing inflammation in both the upper and lower airways in a limited number of COPD patients [4]. COPD patients have lower scores on the SNOT-20 and exhibit an impairment in rhinitis-specific quality of life [7]. COPD and NIR share common risk factors, such as exposure
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