ABSTRACT
Background: Allergic and vasomotor rhinitis are the most common forms of noninfectious rhinitis with similar signs and symptoms. Various environment allergens have been held responsible for allergic type of rhinitis
Aims: To find out the common environmental allergens responsible for sensitivity in patients with allergic rhinitis and compare the findings in vasomotor rhinitis patients
Methods: Ninety subjects were selected for the present study. Out of these, 30 were patients with allergic rhinitis, 30 were patients with vasomotor rhinitis and 30 were healthy subjects as control. Patients were labeled as allergic rhinitis on the basis of eosinophils in nasal smears. Sensitivity to common environmental allergens was determined by skin prick test using Ben Card allergy test kit, strictly following manufacturer's instructions
Results: Common environmental allergens responsible for sensitivity in allergic rhinitis patients were house dust [86.6%], house dust mites [70%], mixed thrashings [80%], straw dust [56.6%], hay dust [66.6%], mixed feathers [43.3%], cat fur [53.3%], cotton flock [50%], tree pollens [40%] and grass pollens [43,3%]. Sensitivity to these allergens was observed in significantly less [p>0.01] percentage of vasomotor rhinitis and control groups. Sensitivity to house dust, house dust mites and cat fur was of severe degree in majority of allergic rhinitis patients. While sensitivity to mixed thrashings, straw dust, hay dust and mixed feathers was of moderate to severe degree in majority of these patients
Conclusion: Skin prick tests provide an effective method to find out sensitivity to different allergens in cases with allergic rhinitis to differentiate these from patients with vasomotor rhinitis. Based on these findings the physicians can manage the patients in better way