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. 2025 Jul 11;17(7):e87733.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.87733. eCollection 2025 Jul.

The Impact of Allergic Rhinitis on the Quality of Life Among Adult Patients in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia: A Case-Control Study

Abdulhameed B Al Khalaf  1 , Mohammed Khalid J Aljerayed  1 , Mudhawi Alsuliman  1 , Sajjad Naji Ahmed Alkhalifah  2 , Sajidah F Alghazal  3 , Hasan M Alhaddad  1
Affiliations

The Impact of Allergic Rhinitis on the Quality of Life Among Adult Patients in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia: A Case-Control Study

Abdulhameed B Al Khalaf et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Background and objective Allergic rhinitis (AR) is highly prevalent in Saudi Arabia, yet its broader consequences on adult well-being remain underexplored. In this study, we aimed to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL), psychological distress, and insomnia between adults with and without AR in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia. Methods A retrospective case-control study was conducted from December 2024 to May 2025. Fifty adults (≥18 years) with the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10)-confirmed AR were randomly selected from Al Jabr Eye and ENT Hospital records; 150 controls without AR or chronic illness were recruited from the general community (1:3 ratio). Participants completed the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (miniRQLQ). Between-group differences were analysed with χ² or independent t-tests; Pearson correlations were employed to assess associations among scales. Results Cases and controls were comparable in age (mean age: 35.5 ± 11.2 vs. 34.6 ± 11.6 years, respectively) and sex distribution [23 males (46%)]. A significant difference was noted in educational level (p=0.023). AR cases scored significantly worse on all GHQ-12 items (p<0.001); 19 (38%) met the threshold for mild-to-moderate psychological distress vs. eight (5%) among controls. Clinically relevant insomnia (AIS ≥6) was present in 39 (78%) of cases and 34 (23%) of controls (p<0.001). Mean miniRQLQ domains most affected were tiredness/fatigue (2.98 ± 1.73) and sleep difficulty (2.80 ± 1.98). AIS scores correlated moderately with miniRQLQ scores in cases (r=0.40, p=0.006). Conclusions Based on our findings, AR imposes substantial burdens on mental health, sleep quality, and daily functioning among Saudi adults. Multidisciplinary management, including behavioural sleep counseling and psychological support, should accompany pharmacotherapy to reduce the societal impact of AR.

Keywords: allergic rhinitis; ghq-12; health-related quality of life; insomnia; saudi.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Informed consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Alahsa Health Cluster issued approval 33A-EP-2024. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Distribution of quality-of-life impairment, psychological distress, and insomnia severity among allergic rhinitis cases and controls
Figure 2
Figure 2. Correlation between rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire and the general health score among study cases (A) and controls (B)
r=0.1, p=0.493 for cases; r=0.7, p=.001 for controls miniRQLQ: mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire
Figure 3
Figure 3. Correlation between rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire and the AIS among study cases (A) and controls (B)
r=0.4, p=0.006 for cases; r=0.7, p=0.001 for controls AIS: Athens Insomnia Scale; miniRQLQ: mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire
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