Assessment of Quality of Life and Manifestation of Symptoms in Patients with Asthma and/or Persistent or Intermittent Allergic Rhinitis

Aim: To assess the Quality of Life (QoL) and manifestation of symptoms in patients with asthma and/or persistent or intermittent allergic rhinitis (AR). Tasks: 1. To evaluate the course of the disease and the expression of symptoms in patients with asthma and persistent and/or intermittent AR. 2. To determine the QoL in patients with asthma, depending on gender age, place of residence. 3. To determine the QoL in patients with AR, according to their gender, place of residence, course of the disease. 4. To compare the overall QoL in patients with asthma or AR or comorbid asthma and AR. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted at the Hospital LUHS KC Immunology and allergology clinic outpatient unit. The study involved patients over 18 y/o with a with asthma and/or persistent or intermittent AR. AQLQ(s) and RQLQ(s) questionnaires by E. Juniper were used, as well as additional questions to determine characteristics of the disease and demographical data of patients. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0 software program. P value less than 0,05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: AR only patients presented more often with intermittent vs. persistent AR (68,7% vs. 31,3%), asthma with AR patients more often had persistent vs. intermittent AR (65,7% vs. 34,3%) (p=0,002). The AQLQ(s) overall score in asthma patients was 5,1 ± 0,8; the RQLQ(s) overall score in AR patients was 1,9 ± 1,2 in scale 0-6 (5,0 ± 1,19 in the converted scale 7-1); the overall AQLQ(s)/RQLQ(s) score in asthma with AR patients was 4,6 ± 0,8. Conclusions: 1. AR patients more often presented with intermittent AR and had less exacerbations of AR symptoms than patients with comorbid AR and asthma, who presented more with persistent AR with more exacerbations of symptoms. 2. QoL between men and women with asthma had no significant difference. The activity of 34-54 y/o asthma patients was more impaired than younger and older patient groups. Asthma patients residing in urbanized areas had poorer emotional QoL compared with the ones living in countryside. 3. Women with AR significantly more than men suffered from eye symptoms impaired emotional state. Patients with persistent AR compared with intermittent AR significantly more often suffered from nose and general symptoms, which also impaired their activities and caused practical problems. No significant difference was determined between AR patients living in urbanized areas vs. countryside. 4. Women with comorbid asthma and AR had poorer overall QoL than men