ALLERGIC RHINITIS AMONG ADULT BRONCHIAL ASTHMATIC PATIENTS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA
*S.M Oladeji1, C.C. Nwawolo2, O.O. Adewole3
Ear, Nose and Throat Unit, Dept of Surgery Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. E-Mail:susanoladeji@yahoo.com
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.
3Dept of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
*Correspondence
Grant support: None
Conflict of interest: None
ABSTRACT
Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are different manifestations of allergic disease of the airway. Both can exist together or as separate disease entity in an individual. However, it is not known if the coexistence of the two diseases can make asthmatic control difficult or not in the black population.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in asthmatics and its effects on bronchial asthmatic control among adult Nigerians. Design: A prospective case-control study.
Setting: Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. Subjects: Cases were 160 adult patients with confirmed bronchial asthma and controls were 160 subjects without bronchial asthma.
Methods: Structured questionnaire adapted from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey was applied. Allergic rhinitis was clinically diagnosed if watery rhinorrhea, nasal blockage, and excessive bout of sneezing, itching of eye, ear, nose or throat were present.
Results: Amongst the asthmatics, 133 (83%) had concomitant allergic rhinitis while 30 (19%) controls had allergic rhinitis(x2=137.81, p<0.001). Seventy eight (59%) cases with allergic rhinitis had uncontrolled asthma while 9 (33%) cases without allergic rhinitis had uncontrolled asthma (x2 = 8.8731, p=0.012).
Conclusion: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis among adult asthmatics was high and the co-existence of allergic rhinitis was significantly associated with poor asthmatic control.
Keywords: Allergic Rhinitis, Bronchial Asthma, Poor asthma control, Lagos, Nigeria.