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A growing body of scientific evidence supports the link between nonallergic upper airway disorders and asthma. Multiple studies have demonstrated that most patients with nonallergic asthma have chronic nasal symptoms as well as radiographic evidence of sinus mucosal disease. Equally important, preexisting symptoms of rhinitis place nonallergic patients at higher risk for developing asthma. Experimental studies demonstrate that the upper and lower airways may be connected via a number of paths, and that the systemic circulation may play a key role in amplifying inflammation in other portions of the respiratory tract. Finally, given this complex relationship between localized and systemic inflammation, it behooves all physicians to assess and treat rhinitis and sinusitis when they are present in patients with asthma.

Anatomy and physiology of the upper and lower airways: comparative anatomy of the nasal and tracheal/bronchial airways, Fuad M. Baroody and Brendan J. Canning the impact of nasal function and dysfunction on the lower airways, Alkis Togias and Hugh Windom upper airway reflexes and involvement of the lower airway, Ronald Eccles. Epidemiology and pathogenesis of upper and lower airway disease: epidemiological evidence for the relationship between upper and lower airway diseases, Isabella Annesi-Maesano comparative pathogenesis of upper and lower airway allergic disease, K. Rajakulasingam and Stephen R. Durham pathogenetic links between rhinitis and asthma, Jean Bousquet, A. Maurizo Vignola and Pascal Demoly viral infections - effects on nasal and lower airway functions, Imran R. Hussain and Sebastian L. Johnston experimental animal models of upper-lower airways interactions, Charles G. Irvin. Diagnosis and treatment of rhino-sinusitis and asthma: diagnostic evaluation of sinusitis in patients with asthma, Sheldon Spector, Michael Diament and Dale Rice management of allergic rhinitis in patients with asthma, Jonathan Corren and Jean Bousquet medical management of sinusitis in patients with asthma, Larry Borish, James A. Wilde, William K. Dolen, Chester Stafford and Raymond Slavin surgical management of rhinitis, sinusitis and nasal polyposis in patients with asthma, R. Jankowski manifestations of aspirin sensitivity in the upper and lower airways, Donald D. Stevenson effects of sleep on upper and lower airways, Robert D. Ballard vocal cord dysfunction, Kenneth B. Newman. Systemic diseases affecting upper and lower airways: manifestations of cystic fibrosis in the upper and lower airways, Peter Macguire, Robert Bocian, Judy Palmer and Dale T. Umetsu the sinobronchial syndrome and diffuse panbronchiolitis, Yukihiko Sugiyama and Shoji Kudoh manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis in the upper and lower airways, David B. Hellmann manifestation of sarcoidosis in the upper and lower airways, David R. Moller and Irina Petrache manifestations of immune deficiency syndromes in the upper and lower airways, Jeffrey L. Kishiyama and Daniel C. Adelman.