Effects of hay fever impact on quality of life in chidren and adolescents- an observational study

Abstract

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), Rhinits (Allergic-AR or Non-Allergic- NAR) are different kinds of upper airway inflammation, common in children and adolescents. Objectives: To comprehend the different phenotypes of upper airway inflammation from childhood up to adolescence through epidemiologic data from pediatric population. Methods: A birth cohort was used with 4090 children who had been followed from birth up to the 16 years of age. Questionnaires and clinical follow-ups were used for this purpose. Results: AR is common at 4 years of age (5.5%) and prevalence increased to 15% at 8 years. 88% of the 4-year-old kids showing AR had disease up to 9 years. In contrast to this, among the 8% with NAR at 4 years of age, 75% had no rhinitis symptoms at 8 years of age. It was also discovered that co-morbidity along with asthma and eczema was common for AR and NAR both. Conclusion: Both AR and NAR are common in children. They are associated with asthma and eczema and affected by parental allergy-related diseases. Regarding the prognosis and the pattern of heredity, there are differences between AR and NAR. The prevalence of CRS in adolescence appears to be less but for those affected, the symptoms are troubling.

Keywords: Allergic Rhinitis, Non allergic rhinitis, infectious rhinitis, questionnaire, cohort.