Prevalence of nasal symptoms and their relation to self-reported asthma and chronic bronchitis/emphysema
Author
Summary, in English
Little information is available on associations between rhinitis and chronic bronchitis/emphysema (CBE). Self-reported upper airway symptoms, asthma, and CBE were examined in 12,079 adults living in southern Sweden. The response rate was 70% (n=8,469), of whom 33% reported significant nasal symptoms: a blocked nose was reported by 21%; sneezing by 18%; nasal discharge by 17%; and thick yellow nasal discharge by 5.7%. Nasal symptoms and combined nasal and self-reported bronchial disease were generally more common among smokers than nonsmokers. There was little overlap between asthma and CBE, but 46% of those with asthma and 40% of those with CBE had significant nasal symptoms. Best predicting factors (odds ratios >3) for asthma and CBE were nasal symptoms due to exposure to animals and damp/cold air, respectively. One-third of an adult, southern Swedish population, had significant allergic and/or nonallergic nasal symptoms. Nasal symptoms were frequently found to coexist with both asthma and chronic bronchitis/emphysema, suggesting that pan-airway engagement is common in both diseases. Differing associations between types of nasal symptoms and allergic and irritant triggers of nasal symptoms, with regard to asthma and chronic bronchitis/emphysema, emphasize the different natures of these bronchial diseases.
Department/s
Publishing year
2001
Language
English
Pages
596-603
Publication/Series
European Respiratory Journal
Volume
17
Issue
4
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
European Respiratory Society
Topic
- Respiratory Medicine and Allergy
Keywords
- chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases
- asthma
- chronic bronchitis
- prevalence
- rhinitis
Status
Published
Research group
- Geriatric Medicine
- Geriatrics
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1399-3003