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Review
. 2017 Jun;72(6):857-865.
doi: 10.1111/all.13125. Epub 2017 Feb 21.

Pilot study of mobile phone technology in allergic rhinitis in European countries: the MASK-rhinitis study

J Bousquet  1   2 , D P Caimmi  3   4 , A Bedbrook  1 , M Bewick  5 , P W Hellings  6 , P Devillier  7 , S Arnavielhe  8 , C Bachert  9 , K C Bergmann  10   11 , G W Canonica  12 , N H Chavannes  13 , A A Cruz  14   15 , R Dahl  14   15 , P Demoly  3   4 , G De Vries  16 , E Mathieu-Dupas  8 , A Finkwagner  17 , J Fonseca  18   19 , N Guldemond  20 , T Haahtela  21 , B Hellqvist-Dahl  22 , J Just  23 , T Keil  24   25 , L Klimek  26 , M L Kowalski  27 , M Kuitunen  28 , P Kuna  29 , V Kvedariene  30 , D Laune  8 , A M Pereira  18   19 , P Carreiro-Martins  31   32 , E Melén  33   34 , M Morais-Almeida  35 , J Mullol  36 , A Muraro  37 , R Murray  38 , L Nogueira-Silva  39   40 , N G Papadopoulos  41   42 , G Passalacqua  12 , F Portejoie  1 , D Price  43 , D Ryan  44 , B Samolinski  45 , A Sheikh  46 , V Siroux  47 , O Spranger  17 , A Todo Bom  48 , P V Tomazic  49 , A Valero  50 , E Valovirta  51   52 , A Valiulis  53   54 , O VandenPlas  55 , S van der Meulen  56 , M van Eerd  16 , M Wickman  33   34 , T Zuberbier  10   11
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Pilot study of mobile phone technology in allergic rhinitis in European countries: the MASK-rhinitis study

J Bousquet et al. Allergy. 2017 Jun.
Free article

Abstract

Background: The use of Apps running on smartphones and tablets profoundly affects medicine. The MASK-rhinitis (MACVIA-ARIA Sentinel NetworK for allergic rhinitis) App (Allergy Diary) assesses allergic rhinitis symptoms, disease control and impact on patients' lives. It is freely available in 20 countries (iOS and Android platforms).

Aims: To assess in a pilot study whether (i) Allergy Diary users were able to properly provide baseline characteristics (ii) simple phenotypic characteristics based upon data captured by the Allergy Diary could be identified and (iii) information gathered by this study could suggest novel research questions.

Methods: The Allergy Diary users were classified into six groups according to the baseline data that they entered into the App: (i) asymptomatic; (ii) nasal symptoms excluding rhinorrhea; (iii) rhinorrhea; (iv) rhinorrhea plus 1-2 nasal/ocular symptoms; (v) rhinorrhea plus ≥3 nasal/ocular symptoms; and (vi) rhinorrhea plus all nasal/ocular symptoms.

Results: By 1 June 2016, 3260 users had registered with the Allergy Diary and 2710 had completed the baseline questionnaire. Troublesome symptoms were found mainly in the users with the most symptoms. Around 50% of users with troublesome rhinitis and/or ocular symptoms suffered work impairment. Sleep was impaired by troublesome symptoms and nasal obstruction.

Conclusions: This is the first App (iOS and Android) to have tested for allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis. A simple questionnaire administered by cell phones enables the identification of phenotypic differences between a priori defined rhinitis groups. The results suggest novel concepts and research questions in allergic rhinitis that may not be identified using classical methods.

Keywords: Allergy Diary; EIP on AHA; MASK-rhinitis; allergen immunotherapy; mobile technology.

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