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. 2018 Feb 5;13(2):e0192330.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192330. eCollection 2018.

Acute and chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic rhinitis in relation to comorbidity, ethnicity and environment

Ruth Hoffmans  1 , Alex Wagemakers  1 , Cornelis van Drunen  1 , Peter Hellings  1   2 , Wytske Fokkens  1
Affiliations

Acute and chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic rhinitis in relation to comorbidity, ethnicity and environment

Ruth Hoffmans et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: This study was conducted to assess the effect of comorbidity, ethnicity, occupation, smoking and place of residence on allergic rhinitis (AR), acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Methods: A GA2LEN (The Global Allergy and Asthma European Network) screening questionnaire was sent to a random sample of the Dutch population (n = 16700) in three different areas of the Netherlands.

Results: Fifty percent (8347) of the questionnaires sent were returned. A total of 29% respondents (27-31% in different areas) met the criteria for AR, 18% (17-21%) for ARS and 16% (13-18%) for CRS. Risk factors for AR were itchy rash, eczema, adverse response after taking a painkiller, asthma, CRS and ARS. Moreover, the risk of AR was twice as low for full-time housewives/househusbands than for people with jobs. The risk of ARS or CRS was significantly higher in respondents with a doctor's diagnosis of CRS, AR, itchy rash or smoking. The risk of CRS was also significantly higher in respondents with an adverse response after taking painkillers, active smoking or asthma. Caucasians are generally less likely to have AR or CRS than Latin-Americans, Hindustani and African-Creoles, and more likely to have ARS than Asian, Hindustani, Mediterranean and African-Creoles.

Conclusions: This study found shared and distinct risk factors for AR, ARS and CRS and therefore provides support for the belief that they have shared symptoms but are different diseases with different aetiologies.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Map of the Netherlands with the three different areas.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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