Frequency of Allergic Rhinitis in Patients with Bronchial Asthma at a Tertiary Care Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of allergic rhinitis in patients with bronchial asthma and to identify risk factors for this association. STUDY DESIGN: A cross sectional observational study. PLACE & DURATION: At Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro/Hyderabad, from 1^st Aug, 2014 to 31^st Dec, 2015. METHODOLOGY: A total of 100 patients with cough, dyspnea and chest pain were examined and out of those, 87 patients having bronchial asthma, as per clinical evaluation based on global initiative for asthma guidelines (GINA) were selected for the study and then those having allergic rhinitis, based on allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma guidelines (ARIA) were identified using clinical and pathological parameters (Eosinophilic count on nasal smear). RESULTS: Among a total of 87 patients of bronchial asthma, 43.68% were males and 56.32% females. Out of those, 64.37% were having allergic rhinitis. The most common variety of bronchial asthma was intermittent and the most common variety of allergic rhinitis was moderate to severe persistent. We found smoking, urban residence, traffic pollution, overcrowding, small ill ventilated rooms, use of carpets in rooms and use of wood for cooking and heating purposes as the risk factors for this association. Out of 56 patients of AR, 73.2% were smokers and smoking was more common in females (53.65%). CONCLUSION: The frequency of allergic rhinitis is fairly high in patients with bronchial asthma. Urban residence, traffic pollution, overcrowding, small ill ventilated rooms and smoking were found responsible for this high prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]