A Survey of Korean Physicians’ Prescription Patterns for Allergic Rhinitis

Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the prescription patterns according to characteristics of physicians using a survey distributed amongst physicians in Korea. Methods We surveyed the prescription patterns for allergic rhinitis (AR) of the members of the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology (KAAACI) and the Korean Association of Otorhinolaryngologists (KAO). Questionnaire contained 4 categories with 28 queries. 448 physicians including 98 internal medicine (IM), 113 pediatrics (PED), and 237 otorhinolaryngology (ENT) were responded. Results Although the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines are most frequently used in all specialties, seasonal or perennial AR is the most frequent classification system. For the definitive diagnosis of AR, ENT physicians reported using multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST)/radio allergy sorbent test (RAST) more than others (IM, 10.9%; PED, 20.6%; ENT, 44.2%; P