Comparison of clinical characteristics between patients with non-allergic and allergic rhinitis / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze and compare the differences of clinical characteristics and comorbidities between patients with non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) and allergic rhinitis (AR).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 556 out-patients were enrolled from January 2010 to June 2011. The chief complaints of the patients included at least two of the following nasal symptoms nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and nasal itching. Based on the results of the disease history, physical examination and allergen skin prick test, the patients were classified into NAR group (n = 206) and AR group (n = 350). Detailed information including general data, nasal symptoms and signs, accompanied symptoms and comorbidities were obtained by questionnaires. A scoring was adopted to estimate the severity of disease. SPSS 13.0 software was applied for statistical analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean age of NAR patients (31.8 ± 16.7) was older than that of AR patients (26.3 ± 14.8), and the difference was significant (t = 4.01, P = 0.0001). While there was no significant difference on gender distribution between two groups (χ² = 0.12, P = 0.73). The percentage of nasal congestion was not significantly different between NAR and AR patients (89.8% and 92.0%, respectively; χ² = 0.26, P = 0.611). However, the symptoms of rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal itching, eyes itching, lachrymation, wheeze and cough were more popular in AR patients than those in NAR patients (all P < 0.05). Moreover, above symptoms (except cough) were more serious in AR patients, and the symptom scores were significantly higher than those in NAR patients (all P < 0.05). Most of patients with NAR (67.0%) and AR (62.9%) were moderate-severe persistent (χ² = 1.25, P = 0.264). Accompanied asthma were more common in patients with AR (12.6%) compared with NAR (2.4%), while hypertension were more common in patients with NAR (7.3%) compared with AR (1.7%), and the differences were significant (both P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NAR and AR are two different disease entities, which have different clinical characteristics, as well as different comorbidities. Further clinical study should be done on the rhinitis phenotypes.</p>