Patients' Characteristics according to Allergic Sensitization in Chronic Rhinitis / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic rhinitis is divided into allergic rhinitis (AR) and nonallergic rhinitis (NAR), both of which have similar symptoms but differ in treatment approaches. For the diagnosis of AR, allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) tests along with characteristic symptoms are required. However, these tests are costly and not always practicable. The purpose of this study was to investigate how symptoms respond differently to different allergen sensitization or sensitized allergen. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed 1661 patients who underwent multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST) for chronic rhinitis symptoms. The total nasal symptom (TNS) scores of these patients from 2006 to 2014 were assessed for rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, itching, and sneezing. Patients were classified as AR and NAR according to the results of MAST and their association with symptoms. RESULTS: There were 1021 patients designated to the AR group and 640 patients to the NAR. The AR group had lower age, higher TNS, and higher serum IgE levels than the NAR group. In addition, sneezing and itching were more common in the AR group. Furthermore, sneezing was a positive predictor for seasonal allergen sensitization. On the other hand, itching was a positive predictor for perennial allergen sensitization. CONCLUSION: AR and NAR patients showed different demographic characteristics and symptoms. These results may be helpful in classifying and treating patients with chronic rhinitis, especially when the allergen specific IgE test cannot be performed.