Lower Respiratory Tract Disorders Research Articles

Modeling the effects of external oscillations on mucus clearance in obstructed airways.

Various therapeutic methods are employed to facilitate the clearance of secretions accumulated in the respiratory tracts of individuals with lower respiratory tract disorders. High-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) device, designed to apply variable amplitude and frequency vibrations to the individuals' chests, stands out among these therapies. In this study, the effectiveness of this treatment method was investigated numerically using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on the generated mucus-obstructed bronchial geometry. The conducted analyses compared the effects of vibrations acting in the axial, radial, and tangential directions on the clearance of mucus, which exhibits non-Newtonian flow behavior with shear-thinning properties. Simultaneously, the effects of changes in vibration amplitude and frequency, pressure differentials, fluid properties, and ciliary movements on the flow were separately examined and interpreted. The findings demonstrate that ciliary movements are insufficient in mucus-accumulated airways, applied vibrations enhance mucus clearance, and potential improvements in flow are quite sensitive to boundary conditions.

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia - An Update on the Genetics of Underlying Pathological Mechanisms

Abstract: One of the rapidly growing groups of diseases known as ciliopathies is primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a rare hereditary illness of the motile cilia. Different clinical symptoms of prima-ry ciliary dyskinesia include infertility, left-right lateralization abnormalities, and chronic upper and lower respiratory tract disorders. Our knowledge of the genetics underlying primary ciliary dyskine-sia has significantly increased in recent years. Involved in the formation, shape, and operation of motile cilia are axonemal, cytoplasmic, and regulatory proteins that are encoded by a rising number of disease-associated genes and pathogenic mutations. We now have a better grasp of the clinical signs and symptoms of motile ciliopathies because of advances in our understanding of cilia genet-ics and the function of the proteins expressed. These developments have altered how we approach primary ciliary dyskinesia diagnostic testing. The clinical characteristics of primary ciliary dyskine-sia, the evolution of diagnostics, and the discovery of previously unknown genotype-phenotype connections in primary ciliary dyskinesia will all be covered in this review paper.

Exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 pollution and the risk of respiratory diseases in upper Silesia inhabitants

Background: Multiple studies confirm that PM2.5 and PM10 can affect lung growth and development in children and adolescents, the number of medical visits, and hospital emergency admissions due to asthma, respiratory symptoms, and upper and lower respiratory tract disorders. Objective: The objective of this study was the measurement-based assessment for determining whether the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 are within admissible limits or exceeded in the Upper Silesia urban area (Silesia province) and to examine the relationship between PM concentrations and the number of admissions in Primary Health Care due to respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic bronchitis for children, adolescents and adults. Material and methods: The data provided by the Voivodship Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Katowice, National Health Fund - Silesian Department, and the District Sanitary-Epidemiological Station in Katowice for the period 2012-2017 was used in the statistical analysis. Results: The increase in the number of excessive levels of average daily PM10 concentration was observed in almost all measurement stations, both for the acceptable level, information, and alarm level. The increase in average annual PM2.5 concentrations was also observed. The results showed an increased prevalence of respiratory diseases (ICD-Diagnosis Code 10-CM: J017, J030, J034, J038, J040) during the study period in 14 of 20 cities of Silesia province, consistently higher for children than adults. Conclusions: In Silesia province, the air quality is poor and has deteriorated over the last few years. Exposure to ambient PM2.5 and PM10 was significantly associated with the development of respiratory tract diseases in children and adults.

Respiratory system toxicity induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: A real-world study based on the FDA adverse event reporting system database.

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the treatment of multiple cancer types, can be associated with respiratory system adverse events (AEs). The aim of this study is to quantify the association of respiratory system AEs and ICIs and to characterize the profiles of ICI-related respiratory system complications from Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) data.MethodsThe disproportionality of respiratory system AE-related ICIs based on FAERS data from January 2014 to September 2021 was analyzed using the reporting odds ratio (ROR) and information component (IC) as measures of potential risk increase.ResultsA total of 38,415,849 records were involved; among these, 36,923 records related to respiratory system AEs after ICI treatment were identified. In the first 3 months, the cumulative proportion of respiratory system AEs was 75.40%. Men had a slightly higher reporting frequency than that of women (ROR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.70–1.78). Death cases had a slightly higher reporting frequency in ICI-associated respiratory system AEs than that of other drug-associated respiratory system AEs (ROR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.38–1.41). Anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) drugs and anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) drugs were significantly associated with respiratory system toxicities. However, anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) drugs did not demonstrate an association with respiratory system toxicities. Interstitial lung disease and pneumonitis were found to be significantly associated with all eight types of ICIs. In addition, 7 in 10 class-specific respiratory system AEs (lower respiratory tract disorders, pleural disorders, pulmonary vascular disorders, respiratory disorders not elsewhere classified (NEC), respiratory tract infections, respiratory tract neoplasms, and thoracic disorders) were associated with ICIs. The signal values of IC025 were from 0.08 to 2.66.ConclusionsOverall, this study showed a high reporting frequency of respiratory system toxicities caused by ICIs. Early recognition and management of ICI-related respiratory system AEs are of vital importance in practice. Maximizing the benefit while reducing potential respiratory system toxicities of ICIs should become a priority.

English Bulldogs in the UK: a VetCompass study of their disorder predispositions and protections

BackgroundThe English Bulldog has risen sharply in popularity over the past decade but its distinctive and extreme conformation is linked to several serious health conditions. Using multivariable analysis of anonymised veterinary clinical data from the VetCompass Programme, this study compared the odds of common disorders between English Bulldogs and all remaining dogs in the UK during 2016.ResultsFrom 905,544 dogs under veterinary care during 2016, the analysis included a random sample of 2,662 English Bulldogs and 22,039 dogs that are not English Bulldogs. English Bulldogs had 2.04 times the odds of diagnosis with ≥ 1 disorder than dogs that are not English Bulldogs (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.85 to 2.25). At a specific-level of diagnostic precision, English Bulldogs had increased odds of 24/43 (55.8%) disorders. These included: skin fold dermatitis (odds ratio [OR] 38.12; 95% CI 26.86 to 54.10), prolapsed nictitating membrane gland (OR 26.79; 95% CI 18.61 to 38.58) and mandibular prognathism (OR 24.32; 95% CI 13.59 to 43.53). Conversely, English Bulldogs had significantly reduced odds of 6/43 (14.0%) disorders. These included: retained deciduous tooth (OR 0.02; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.17), lipoma (OR 0.06; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.40) and periodontal disease (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.30). At a grouped-level of diagnostic precision, English Bulldogs had significantly increased odds of 17/34 (50.0%) disorders. These included: congenital disorder (OR 7.55; 95% CI 5.29 to 10.76), tail disorder (OR 6.01; 95% CI 3.91 to 9.24) and lower respiratory tract disorder (OR 5.50; 95% CI 4.11 to 7.35). Conversely, English Bulldogs had significantly reduced odds of 3/34 (8.8%) disorders. These were: dental disorder (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.31), spinal cord disorder (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.71) and appetite disorder (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.91).ConclusionsThese results suggest that the health of English Bulldogs is substantially lower than dogs that are not English Bulldogs and that many predispositions in the breed are driven by the extreme conformation of these dogs. Consequently, immediate redefinition of the breed towards a moderate conformation is strongly advocated to avoid the UK joining the growing list of countries where breeding of English Bulldogs is banned.

The outbreak of the new coronavirus infection in pediatric TB department

The objective: to analyze the course of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in children with active respiratory tuberculosis. Subjects and methods. The article describes results of retrospective analysis of the course of the new coronavirus infection in 25 children (3-12 years old) with active respiratory tuberculosis during the outbreak of COVID-19 in an in-patient TB unit.Results. 24 (96%) persons got infected after the close exposure to the coronavirus infection, and 1 (4%) child didn't get infected. The diagnosis was verified by polymerase chain reaction (detection of RNK of SARS-CoV-2) in 33.3%, by enzyme immunoassay (detection of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in 1 month after quarantine removal) in 100%. 58.3% of children with respiratory tuberculosis (14 people) infected with coronavirus infection had minimal respiratory symptoms, that did not differ from signs of other respiratory viral infections; clinical manifestations of the disease were completely absent in 41.7% (10) patients. Coronavirus pneumonia was diagnosed in 4 (16.7%) children who suffered from COVID-19, they had no clinical signs of lower respiratory tract disorders and no body temperature increase; 3 patients had no signs of respiratory viral infection; in all cases, the lung damage detected by computed tomography didn't exceed 10%. In 2 months after the removal of quarantine, no IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 2 out of 10 examined children (20.0%), thus there was a chance for re-infection. No mutual aggravating effect of coronavirus infection and tuberculosis was revealed in their combination over the entire observation period (4 months).

Quantifying the direct secondary health care cost of seasonal influenza in England

BackgroundThe winter pressure often experienced by NHS hospitals in England is considerably contributed to by severe cases of seasonal influenza resulting in hospitalisation. The prevention planning and commissioning of the influenza vaccination programme in the UK does not always involve those who control the hospital budget. The objective of this study was to describe the direct medical costs of secondary care influenza-related hospital admissions across different age groups in England during two consecutive influenza seasons.MethodsThe number of hospital admissions, length of stay, and associated costs were quantified as well as determining the primary costs of influenza-related hospitalisations. Data were extracted from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database between September 2017 to March 2018 and September 2018 to March 2019 in order to incorporate the annual influenza seasons. The use of international classification of disease (ICD)-10 codes were used to identify relevant influenza hospitalisations. Healthcare Resource Group (HRG) codes were used to determine the costs of influenza-related hospitalisations.ResultsDuring the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons there were 46,215 and 39,670 influenza-related hospital admissions respectively. This resulted in a hospital cost of £128,153,810 and £99,565,310 across both seasons. Results showed that those in the 65+ year group were associated with the highest hospitalisation costs and proportion of in-hospital deaths. In both influenza seasons, the HRG code WJ06 (Sepsis without Interventions) was found to be associated with the longest average length of stay and cost per admission, whereas PD14 (Paediatric Lower Respiratory Tract Disorders without Acute Bronchiolitis) had the shortest length of stay.ConclusionThis study has shown that influenza-related hospital admissions had a considerable impact on the secondary healthcare system during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 influenza seasons, before taking into account its impact on primary health care.

Effectiveness of Localized Basal Expansion Technique vs Chest Manipulation Technique on Improving Respiratory Status among Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Disorders at MGMCRI, Puducherry: A Comparative Study

Effectiveness of Localized Basal Expansion Technique vs Chest Manipulation Technique on Improving Respiratory Status among Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Disorders at MGMCRI, Puducherry: A Comparative Study

Demography and commonly recorded clinical conditions of Chihuahuas under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2016

BackgroundThe Chihuahua, the world’s smallest dog breed, is a popular breed in the UK today. The VetCompass™ Programme collates de-identified clinical records from primary-care veterinary practices in the UK for epidemiological research. This study aimed to characterise the demography, age at death and common disorders of Chihuahuas under primary veterinary care during 2016 in the UK.ResultsChihuahuas comprised 11,647/336,865 (3.46%) dogs under veterinary care during 2016. The annual proportional birth rate for Chihuahuas rose from 1.01% in 2005 to 5.35% in 2016. Median adult bodyweight was 3.4 kg (interquartile range [IQR]: 2.7–4.3, range 0.8–9.8).).Median age was 2.8 years (interquartile range [IQR] 1.6–4.9). Median age at death from this young expanding population was 8.2 years (IQR 3.5–12.1). Females (10.2 years) outlived males (6.9 years) (Mann-Whitney U test: P = 0.005). The most common grouped causes of death were heart disease (18.8%, 95% CI: 10.9–29.0), lower respiratory tract disorder (16.3%, 95% CI: 8.9–26.2) and traumatic injury (13.8%, 95% CI: 7.1–23.3). The most common specific disorders were periodontal disease (13.5%, 95% CI: 12.6–14.4), obesity (5.9%, 95% CI: 5.3–6.5), retained deciduous dentition (5.7%, 95% CI: 5.1–6.4), anal sac impaction (4.9%, 95% CI: 4.4–5.5) and aggression (4.2%, 95% CI: 3.7–4.8). Among the 28 most common fine-level disorders, males had statistically (P < 0.005) higher probability than females for 5 disorders (aggression, heart murmur, otitis externa, conjunctivitis and upper respiratory tract infection). There were no disorders with statistically (P < 0.005) higher prevalence in females.ConclusionsThis study documented rising ownership and a currently youthful population of Chihuahuas in the UK. These results suggest that the Chihuahua is currently undergoing a popularity boom but veterinarians need to be watchful for welfare issues related to impulse purchase of Chihuahua puppies by owners with limited experience of dog care. Periodontal disease, obesity, retained deciduous dentition, anal sac impaction and aggression were identified as common health issues within the breed. The unique veterinary care needs of this popular miniature breed suggest that veterinarians should consider the value of advanced training in anesthesia and dentistry in small-sized dogs.

An Experimental Study to assess the effectiveness of Incentive Spirometry exercise on Pulmonary parameters of patients with Lower Respiratory Tract disorders in SVMCH and RC, Puducherry

An Experimental Study to assess the effectiveness of Incentive Spirometry exercise on Pulmonary parameters of patients with Lower Respiratory Tract disorders in SVMCH and RC, Puducherry

Gangrenous pneumonia, ovine respiratory complex and visceral form of caseous lymphadenitis: Relevance in lower respiratory tract disorders of adult sheep

Abstract 'Numerous disorders affect the lower respiratory tract of adult sheep, including Maedi Visna, ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma and verminous pneumonias as reported elsewhere in this special issue. Herein we examine gangrenous pneumonia, ovine respiratory complex (ORC) and the visceral form of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA). Gangrenous pneumonia is a pulmonary infection commonly caused by inhalation of foreign materials, producing inflammation and necrosis of the lung parenchyma. ORC is a complex disease process involving a range of host-pathogen-environment interactions, where host immunological and physiological mechanisms interact with multiple etiological agents including bacteria, plus environmental factors or stressors. Visceral form of CLA commonly causes lesions in mediastinal lymph nodes and lung parenchyma, producing respiratory clinical signs, particularly the coughing that is responsible for transmission of the disease by aerosol. The economic relevance, etiological, clinical and pathological findings of these diseases are reviewed.

CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS INFECTION IN CHILDREN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE

The purpose was to study the clinical and epidemiological features of respiratory syncytial virus infection in hospitalized children the first year of life with lower respiratory tract diseases in different regions of the Russian Federation (Russia) during the 2015–2016 epidemic season.Materials and methods: in the original study data of a multicentre observational study conducted on the basis of children’s hospitals in St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Kazan, and Saratov are presented. Etiology of acute respiratory viral infections were confirmed by examination of smears from the posterior pharyngeal wall by polymerase chain reaction. The study sample included 991 child’s first year of life with lesions of the lower respiratory tract.Results. In the etiological structure of the surveyed children in the season of 2015-2016, RSVI ranged from 14% to 46,2%, an average of 33%. RSVI dominated in the Centers of St. Petersburg (38,3%), Arkhangelsk (36.2%) and Kazan (42.5 per cent).RSVI significantly more often (p&lt;0.01) leads to the development of bronchiolitis (29.4% against 16.3% and 10.0%, with rhinovirus infection and parainfluenza, respectively. Patients with RSUI often develop pneumonia (23,5%) vs 20.6% and 20,0% with rhinovirus infection, and parainfluenza. Patients with RSVI often suffer severe forms of the disease require oxygen support (13,8%) and treatment in the departmentof intensive care (15,9%).Seasonal peaks of hospitalization due to RSVI in all Centres were recorded in December-April 2015 and 2016. Regional differences in monthly intensity of hospitalization of children with RSVI were established.Thus, the high prevalence of RSVI among children in the first year of life, especially with heavy and complicated forms of lower respiratory tract disorders requiring intensive care benefits, represents a socially important issue, which requires monitoring for effective prevention in children at risk.

Results of cytological and microbiological examination using tracheal aspiration in race horses with lower respiratory tract disease

Respiratory tract disease is the second most common cause of poor performance in racehorses after musculoskeletal disease. Lower respiratory tract disorders (LRTD) are common in thoroughbred horses of all ages. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there was any association between the microbiological and cytological examinations. Fifty horses ranging in age from 2 to 6 years were examined. Horses with only upper respiratory tract abnormalities identified by endoscopy (at rest) were eliminated from the study and horses with LRTD were used in this study. Tracheal aspirate specimens were collected for cytological and microbiological examinations. Thirty six horses had positive and 14 horses had negative cultivation. The isolated bacteria included β-haemolytic Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (38.8%), Escherichia coli (22.2%) and other bacteria that were isolated at rates ranging from 0.4 to 1.8%. Percentages of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, macrophages and mast cells were evaluated in the cytological examination. The percentages of neutrophils were significantly higher in the samples with isolated bacteria (35.75 ± 2.60%) compared to the samples from which bacteria were not isolated (16.79 ± 2.36%) (P &lt; 0.001). This study shows that S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus could play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of LRTD. It also demonstrates the importance of evaluating the microbiological findings of the tracheal aspirate specimens from horses suffering from respiratory infections, in addition to performing a detailed clinical examination and other complementary tests that focus on the respiratory system, such as endoscopy and cytology of the tracheal aspiration.

Congenital respiratory tract disorders in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

ObjectiveRespiratory tract disorders have been reported in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, however infrequently. This study describes the respiratory tract disorders encountered in a cohort of 278 patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional, study at a single tertiary referral center. We identified the patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and with an upper and/or lower respiratory tract disorder at our otorhinolaryngologic department. The different disorders were described. ResultsOut of 278 patients referred to the otorhinolaryngologic department, we identified 14 patients with a laryngeal and/or tracheal disorder. Nine patients had more than one congenital disorder in this anatomical area. Disorders included a choanal stenosis (n = 1), laryngeal web (n = 5), laryngeal cleft (n = 2), subglottic stenosis (n = 3), pharyngo-, laryngo-, tracheo- and/or bronchomalacia (n = 11) and tracheal stenosis (n = 1). ConclusionDifferent types of respiratory tract disorders can be present in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Clinicians should be aware of this clinical association for timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment. In addition, the diagnosis 22q11.2 deletion syndrome should be considered in patients presenting with a congenital respiratory tract disorder.

Effectiveness of Balloon Exercise on Level of Dyspnoea among Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Disorder

Effectiveness of Balloon Exercise on Level of Dyspnoea among Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Disorder

Respiratory hypersensitivity reactions to NSAIDs in Europe: the global allergy and asthma network (GA2 LEN) survey.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most prevalent drugs inducing hypersensitivity reactions. The aim of this analysis was to estimate the prevalence of NSAID-induced respiratory symptoms in population across Europe and to assess its association with upper and lower respiratory tract disorders. The GA2 LEN survey was conducted in 22 centers in 15 European countries. Each of 19 centers selected random samples of 5000 adults aged 15-74 from their general population, and in three centers (Athens, Munich, Oslo), a younger population was sampled. Questionnaires including questions about age, gender, presence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, smoking status, and history of NSAID-induced hypersensitivity reactions were sent to participants by mail. Totally, 62 737 participants completed the questionnaires. The mean prevalence of NSAID-induced dyspnea was 1.9% and was highest in the three Polish centers [Katowice (4.9%), Krakow (4.8%), and Lodz (4.4%)] and lowest in Skopje, (0.9%), Amsterdam (1.1%), and Umea (1.2%). In multivariate analysis, the prevalence of respiratory reactions to NSAIDs was higher in participants with chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms (Odds Ratio 2.12; 95%CI 1.78-2.74), asthma symptoms in last 12 months (2.7; 2.18-3.35), hospitalization due to asthma (1.53; 1.22-1.99), and adults vs children (1.53; 1.24-1.89), but was not associated with allergic rhinitis. Our study documented significant variation between European countries in the prevalence of NSAID-induced respiratory hypersensitivity reactions, and association with chronic airway diseases, but also with environmental factors.

Lower respiratory tract disorder hospitalizations among children born via elective early-term delivery

Objective: We evaluated the hypothesis that elective early-term delivery increases the risk of childhood lower respiratory tract disorder hospitalization.Methods: Children born via early-term elective inductions were compared to full- or late-term elective inductions in a retrospective cohort study using Washington State birth certificate and hospital discharge data. Outcomes were the odds of lower respiratory disorder hospitalization before age five and cause specific odds ratios for asthma, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia. In addition, a subgroup analysis excluding infants with perinatal complications was conducted.Results: Electively induced early-term children were at significantly increased risk of hospitalization before age five for lower respiratory disorders compared to similar full- or late-term children (adjusted OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.11–1.55). Bronchiolitis was the only cause-specific outcome with a statistically significant increase in odds of hospitalization, though comparable increases were found for the less common diagnoses of asthma (adjusted OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 0.93–2.08) and pneumonia (adjusted OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.99–1.64). Excluding infants with perinatal complications did not alter the results.Conclusions: There was an association between electively induced early-term delivery and hospitalization for lower respiratory tract disorders before age five. This reinforces policies discouraging elective early-term delivery.

Астма и вирусные инфекции у детей

Viruses are the most common pathogens of acute respiratory diseases — most often causing mild symptoms of common cold: cough, runny nose, temperature increases. At the same time, 1/3 of children have the following symptoms of lower respiratory tract disorders: shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, respiratory failure. Virus-induced wheezing are risk factors for development of asthma in childhood. Recent clinical and scientific data suggest: the more difficult are viral respiratory infections in young children, the higher their risk of asthma later on. Another feature is that children with allergic diseases are much more likely to have viral respiratory infections (and with longer clinical course), compared with children without atopy. The use of ibuprofen is safe for children over 3 months, including suffering from bronchial asthma.

Links between allergic rhinitis and asthma

航线的过敏疾病，包括季节的鼻炎，长期的长期的鼻炎和气喘，作为航线 mucosa 的煽动性的混乱被认出，但是在煽动性的反应的地点和疾病的临床的表明不同。气喘和过敏鼻炎经常在一样的病人共存并且被认为分享普通预先安排与环境影响交往的基因因素。两疾病特别地在西洋化的国家在最近的十年在流行增加了。这增加过时的人或物大部分归因于象暴露那样的环境因素到天线污染物质，和早年生活事件，包括到可能影响 IgEproduction 的传染代理人的暴露的度，自从在基因水池的一个重要变化有不够的时间。

Rhinitis is associated with increased systolic blood pressure in men: a population-based study.

An association between impaired lower respiratory function and cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, is often reported but it is unknown whether there is a relationship between upper airway disorders and cardiovascular risk factors, despite evidence that upper and lower respiratory tract disorders are closely linked. Our objective was to assess whether rhinitis is associated with arterial blood pressure and hypertension. In a population-based study of 330 adults aged 28-56 years, as part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, rhinitis was assessed by means of a questionnaire, and cardiovascular data were obtained using a questionnaire and by measuring blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher in men with rhinitis than in men without rhinitis (130.6 +/- 12.7 mm Hg versus 123.5 +/- 13.9 mm Hg; p = 0.002), and it was still the case after adjustment for cardiovascular and respiratory confounding factors. Hypertension was more frequent in men with rhinitis than in men without rhinitis, even after multivariate adjustment (odds ratio = 2.6, 95% confidence interval = [1.14-5.91]). The observation of SBP levels according to whether men have no rhinitis, seasonal rhinitis, or perennial rhinitis was compatible with a dose-response relationship (p for trend = 0.02). In conclusion, rhinitis is strongly associated with SBP and hypertension in men. Blood pressure should be regularly checked in men with rhinitis.