TY - JOUR
T1 - Nonallergic rhinitis and its association with smoking and lower airway disease: A general population study
AU - Håkansson, Kåre
AU - von Buchwald, Christian
AU - Thomsen, Simon F
AU - Thyssen, Jacob P
AU - Backer, Vibeke
AU - Linneberg, Allan
PY - 2011/1/1
Y1 - 2011/1/1
N2 - Background: The cause of nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) and its relation to lower airway disease remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to perform a descriptive analysis of the occurrence of rhinitis in a Danish general population with focus on NAR and its association with smoking and lower airway disease. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark was performed. A random sample from the general population (n = 7931; age, 18-69 years) was invited to a general health examination including measurements of serum-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) to common aeroallergens; 3471 (44%) persons were accepted. For further analysis, we divided the population into the following groups: (I) negative specific IgE and no rhinitis (controls); (II) negative specific IgE and rhinitis (NAR); (III) positive specific IgE and rhinitis (allergic rhinitis [AR]); and (IV) positive specific IgE but no rhinitis (sensitized). Results: We found that NAR was associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR] = 2.51 [1.87-3.37]); chronic bronchitis (OR = 2.27 [1.85-2.79]); current smoking (>15 g/day; OR = 1.57 [1.18 -2.08]); lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV 1/FVC) ratios and reduced FEV 1 values. The association with chronic bronchitis was stronger in NAR than in AR, whereas the opposite was true for asthma. FEV 1/FVC of <70% was not significantly associated to any group. Conclusion: This epidemiological study indicates that both asthma and chronic bronchitis are important comorbidities in NAR confirming the "united airway" hypothesis, and that smoking might be a significant modulator of disease. Although NAR was significantly associated with poor lung function, no significant association with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was shown.
AB - Background: The cause of nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) and its relation to lower airway disease remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to perform a descriptive analysis of the occurrence of rhinitis in a Danish general population with focus on NAR and its association with smoking and lower airway disease. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark was performed. A random sample from the general population (n = 7931; age, 18-69 years) was invited to a general health examination including measurements of serum-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) to common aeroallergens; 3471 (44%) persons were accepted. For further analysis, we divided the population into the following groups: (I) negative specific IgE and no rhinitis (controls); (II) negative specific IgE and rhinitis (NAR); (III) positive specific IgE and rhinitis (allergic rhinitis [AR]); and (IV) positive specific IgE but no rhinitis (sensitized). Results: We found that NAR was associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR] = 2.51 [1.87-3.37]); chronic bronchitis (OR = 2.27 [1.85-2.79]); current smoking (>15 g/day; OR = 1.57 [1.18 -2.08]); lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV 1/FVC) ratios and reduced FEV 1 values. The association with chronic bronchitis was stronger in NAR than in AR, whereas the opposite was true for asthma. FEV 1/FVC of <70% was not significantly associated to any group. Conclusion: This epidemiological study indicates that both asthma and chronic bronchitis are important comorbidities in NAR confirming the "united airway" hypothesis, and that smoking might be a significant modulator of disease. Although NAR was significantly associated with poor lung function, no significant association with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was shown.
U2 - 10.2500/ajra.2011.25.3556
DO - 10.2500/ajra.2011.25.3556
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1945-8924
VL - 25
SP - 25
EP - 29
JO - American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy
JF - American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy
IS - 1
ER -