Allergic rhinitis impairs quality of life

Allergic rhinitis, like many recurring medical problems, impairs one’s quality of life. Because it causes bothersome symptoms such as frequent sneezing, runny, clogged or itchy nose, watery red eyes and itchy throat, it can make one’s life miserable and prevent one from carrying out his or her daily activities.

As in all allergy cases, prevention remains the best option. A diagnostic breakthrough in allergic diseases is the Phadia ImmunoCAP allergy testing, which can identify the allergens (substances causing the allergy) through a small blood sample.

This advanced technology can also help distinguish infection and allergy as an underlying source of any disease such as rhinitis.

It is also important in preventing over- and under-treatment of allergies with antihistamine and antibiotics. Health experts lament that many causes of allergy, presenting as recurrent cough, are treated with different types of antibiotics, which will subsequently lead to antibiotic resistance.

ImmunoCAP, the first allergy diagnostic system approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), is a quantitative test for identifying allergens.

A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology demonstrated that ImmunoCAP is the standard for accuracy and reliability for quantitative IgE testing.

ImmunoCAP was developed by Phadia  AB in Uppsala,  Sweden, the world leader in in-vitro IgE diagnostic research and product development.

One of the many serious health implications of allergic rhinitis is sleep disorder. Several studies have shown a relationship of allergic rhinitis and nasal obstruction, abnormal breathing during sleep, snoring and even sleep apnea (transient cessation of breathing while sleeping).

A European, cross-sectional survey revealed that 71 percent of allergic rhinitis patients had difficulty falling asleep and had daytime sleepiness.

Damien Léger et al. conducted a study entitled “Allergic Rhinitis and Its Consequences on Quality of Sleep,” published in 2006 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The results of the study showed that all dimensions of sleep were impaired by allergic rhinitis, predominantly by the severe type. Sleep was significantly more impaired in patients with severe allergic rhinitis than in those with the mild type.

The study also revealed that a total of 43.7 percent of patients with allergic rhinitis reported a feeling of fatigue upon awakening despite a normal night’s sleep.

Patients with allergic rhinitis complained of headache upon awakening, anxiety and depression as contributing factors of sleep problems. Likewise, daytime sleepiness was significantly present among patients with allergic rhinitis.

The study suggested that general practitioners as well as pulmonary, allergy, ear, nose, throat specialists must be aware of the relationship between allergic rhinitis and sleep disorders.

The authors said they should ask their patients with allergic rhinitis on how the disease affects their sleep patterns.

“This would lead them in early detection and treatment of sleep disorder among these patients,” the authors wrote.

Another health implication of allergic rhinitis is asthma. Patients with allergic rhinitis are at risk of developing asthma.

A study published by Dr. Ruby Pawankar in the medical journal Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology concluded that patients with allergic rhinitis have three times greater chance of developing asthma in their later years and observed that the development of asthma is often preceded by rhinitis.

“It (allergic rhinitis and asthma) is often co-existent,” said Pawankar, reiterating that allergic rhinitis and asthma are needed to be treated together.

She added that 80 percent of people with asthma have allergic rhinitis and 40 percent of people with allergic rhinitis have asthma.

Consequently, allergic rhinitis leads to low work and school performance, productivity loss and absenteeism.  

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology task force on allergic disorder reported that allergic rhinitis results in 3.5 million lost workdays and two million missed school days each year. 

In children, allergic rhinitis and its treatment cause them daytime sleepiness and interfere with learning. A number of studies in children have demonstrated poor memory, examination performance, and impaired ability to recall information taught during class.

In last year’s celebration of National Allergy Day in the Philippines, the Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (PSAAI) focused on the importance of educating the general public on allergy prevention.

“Research efforts aimed at finding ways to neutralize allergens and identify the preventive effects of protective factors must be strengthened. The public, particularly children, must be protected from allergies like allergic rhinitis and asthma,” said PSAAI president Dr. Florecita Padua.

Apart from health and work implications, allergic rhinitis causes economic problem for the individual as well as the nation.

A study entitled “Economic Impact and Quality-of-Life Burden of Allergic Rhinitis” published in 2004, discussed the effects of allergic rhinitis to the economy and the individual’s quality of life.

For more information or other inquiries on allergy testing and ImmunoCAP, call the Trianon hotline at 815-3239 or visit www.phadia.com.