Effect of Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis on Bronchial Asthma and vice versa Using Combination of Drug Therapy

Abstract

Introduction: Allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are considered to be sequential forms of the same allergic syndrome. However, treating inflammation associated with rhinitis shows some improvement in asthma or vice versa is still debatable. Aim: To study the effect of treatment of Allergic Rhinitis on Bronchial Asthma and vice versa using combination of drug therapy. Materials and Methods: Patients having symptoms of both allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma were selected and divided in two groups of 50 each. Group 1 consisted of patients in which nasal symptom preceded pulmonary symptoms. Group 2 consisted of patients in which pulmonary symptoms preceded nasal symptoms. All patients of group 1 were treated with a combination of intranasal fluticasone and fexofenadine and response on asthma symptoms were assessed after 12 weeks using pulmonary function test (PFT) and asthma control test (ACT). All patients of group 2 received a combination of inhaled budesonide and salbutamol/formeterol and response on allergic rhinitis symptoms were assessed after 12 weeks using Total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and Visual Analogue Score (VAS). Observations and Results: The mean age of the patients were 24.5±1.54 years, 61 males and 39 females. In group 1 patients, after 12 weeks the mean value of FEV1/FVC increased from 63.44 to 68.056 and mean ACT score increased from 16.67 to 19.78 (both p value <0.05). In group 2, the mean value of TNSS decreased from 8.818 to 2.9 and the mean VAS score of all symptoms decreased post treatment (both p value <0.05). Conclusion: Thus in our study we found that both the diseases were closely linked therapeutically pointing towards the need of combined approach in management of both the diseases.