Rhinitis as predictor of adult-onset asthma

Abstract

Sneezing and wheezing are common bedfellows. 1 Bousquet J Khaltaev N Cruz AA et al. Allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma (ARIA) 2008 update (in collaboration with the World Health Organization, GA(2)LEN and AllerGen). Allergy. 2008; 63: 8-160 Crossref PubMed Scopus (3561) Google Scholar Because a large proportion of people with asthma have symptoms of rhinitis either attributable to allergic sensitisation or to viral infections, it is hard to know whether sneezing leads to wheezing or whether wheezing and sneezing are part of the same process. However, several studies indicate that rhinitis can precede new onset of asthma. 2 Guerra S Sherrill DL Martinez FD Barbee RA Rhinitis as an independent risk factor for adult-onset asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002; 109: 419-425 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (487) Google Scholar , 3 Wright AL Holberg CJ Martinez FD Halonen M Morgan W Taussig LM Epidemiology of physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis in childhood. Pediatrics. 1994; 94: 895-901 PubMed Google Scholar , 4 Leynaert B Bousquet J Neukirch C Liard R Neukirch F Perennial rhinitis: an independent risk factor for asthma in nonatopic subjects: results from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999; 104: 301-304 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (412) Google Scholar Rafea Shaaban and colleagues, 5 Shaaban R Zureik M Soussan D et al. Rhinitis and onset of asthma: a longitudinal population-based study. Lancet. 2008; 372: 1049-1057 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (438) Google Scholar in today's Lancet, reinforce this idea by showing that rhinitis, even in the absence of atopy, was a strong predictor of adult-onset asthma in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, which included more than 6000 patients in 14 countries. The strongest risk occurred in patients with allergic rhinitis who were sensitised to several inhalant allergens, particularly house-dust mites. Erika von Mutius: reshaping the landscape of asthma researchWhen Erika von Mutius tried to outsmart the funding authorities, she had no idea that when her plan back-fired it would lead to “the big-break” in her medical career. “I had just spent 2 years running a study into the effect of air pollution on croup in children, but I'd had no experience of how to run a project and felt it had just all been a mess, so when my boss asked me to run another project I was desperate to avoid it. I therefore applied for an outrageously high sum of money so the authorities would reject me. Full-Text PDF Rhinitis and onset of asthma: a longitudinal population-based studyRhinitis, even in the absence of atopy, is a powerful predictor of adult-onset asthma. Full-Text PDF