Background: A clinically relevant relationship between classic asthma and allergic rhinitis has been reported. However, the possible link between cough variant asthma (CVA) and allergic rhinitis remains unknown.
Objectives: To clarify the prevalence and clinical relevance of perennial allergic rhinitis or seasonal allergic rhinitis in CVA patients compared to classic asthma patients.
Methods: We retrospectively studied adult patients with classic asthma (n = 190) and those with CVA (n = 83). The prevalence of perennial allergic rhinitis or seasonal allergic rhinitis and associations of concomitant perennial or seasonal allergic rhinitis with asthma severity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (% predicted), fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels, and eosinophil proportions in sputum and blood were analyzed in the two groups.
Results: The prevalence of perennial allergic rhinitis and/or seasonal allergic rhinitis was significantly higher in classic asthma patients than in CVA patients (all p < 0.05). Concomitant perennial allergic rhinitis was associated with higher FeNO levels and eosinophil proportions in sputum and blood in classic asthma patients (p = 0.035, p = 0.036, and p = 0.008, respectively) and with higher asthma severity, FeNO levels, and sputum eosinophil proportions in CVA patients (p = 0.031, p = 0.007, and p = 0.010, respectively). Concomitant seasonal allergic rhinitis was only associated with higher sputum eosinophil proportions in CVA patients with active rhinitis symptoms during the sensitized pollen season (p = 0.025).
Conclusions: Perennial allergic rhinitis may be relevant for CVA patients as well as classic asthma patients by consistently augmenting eosinophilic lower airway inflammation.
© 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.