Prevalence of Chronic Nasal Symptoms in West Sweden: Risk Factors and Relation to Self-Reported Allergic Rhinitis and Lower Respiratory Symptoms

Abstract

Background: There are few population-based studies on chronic nasal symptoms and little is known about their prevalence and determinants, or their association with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Methods: A questionnaire focused on respiratory symptoms and conditions was mailed in 2008 to 30,000 randomly selected subjects aged 16–75 years in West Sweden, 29,218 could be traced and 18,087 (62%) responded. The questionnaire included questions on self-reported allergic rhinitis, asthma, lower respiratory and nasal symptoms and possible determinants. Results: Nasal congestion was reported by 14.9% and runny nose by 13.1% of subjects. In total, 19.8% had chronic nasal symptoms. Subjects with chronic nasal symptoms had considerably more symptoms from the lower airways compared with nonrhinitic subjects and vice versa. Forty-seven percent of the subjects with chronic nasal symptoms had concurrent self-reported allergic rhinitis. Several hereditary and environmental factors were associated with chronic rhinitis, including family history of asthma [odds ratio (OR) 1.27; 95% confidence interval 1.07–1.50], family history of allergy (OR 1.74; 1.57–1.92) and current smoking (OR 1.39; 1.25–1.54). Further, chronic nasal symptoms were increasingly prevalent with an increasing degree of urbanization. Conclusion: The prevalence of chronic nasal symptoms in West Sweden was found to be high and strongly associated both with self-reported allergic rhinitis and symptoms from the lower airways. Moreover, several risk factors were identified for chronic nasal symptoms, including family history of allergy and asthma and smoking.