Evaluation of quality of life: impact of allergic rhinitis on asthma.

BACKGROUND Health-related quality of Life (HRQOL) has been considered an important variable to be managed in airway diseases. Allergy and asthma can reduce HRQOL as a result of profound physical and psychosocial complications. Most patients with asthma also suffer from rhinitis, which also impairs quality of life. However, the impact of allergic rhinitis on asthmatic patients has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate HRQOL in patients with asthma alone, allergic rhinitis alone, or both diseases. METHODS We compared HRQOL in 316 patients with both diseases or either asthma or rhinitis using the Short Form-36 questionnaire. Data were also collected on patients' sociodemographic characteristics, atopic state, body mass index (BMI), and education. RESULTS A total of 232 patients with allergic rhinitis, 40 with asthma, and 44 with both diseases were enrolled. The mean (SD) age was 32 (13) years and 65% were females. HRQL was significantly lower in patients with asthma, with or without rhinitis, than in those with allergic rhinitis alone. Female sex, older age, increased BMI and less educational status were found to be the major determinants of impaired quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis or asthma. CONCLUSIONS The impact of rhinitis on asthma seems to play a minor role in HRQOL.