Correlation of allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps, asthma and family history

Objective To investigate the correlation of allergic rhinitis (AR) and nasal polyps (NP), asthma and family history. Methods A total of 455 patients with rhinitis or NP were selected. Clinical history were collected from all patients; nasal cytology, allergy testing, anterior rhinoscopy, fibre optic nasal endoscopy, CT scan and nasal provocation test were performed in all patients. According to the results of tests, patients were divided into AR group (108 cases, 23.7%), non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) group (128 cases, 28.1%), NP group (107 cases, 23.5%) and overlap group (112 cases, 24.7%). Results The rate of allergy history and asthma in overlap group were higher than those in AR group, NAR group and NP group, the differences were significant (all P<0.05); the incidence of asthma in NP group was higher than that in AR and NAR group, and the differences were significant (P=0.03, P=0.01). Compared with NAR group, the incidences of asthma and family history of asthma in AR group were significantly different (P<0.05). There was significant correlation between AR and family history of nasal polyps (OR=4.45, 95% CI: 1.70-11.61, P=0.0019), and asthma has correlation with overlapping rhinitis (OR=1.96, 95% CI: 1.06-3.68, P=0.02). Conclusions Allergy and asthma play important roles in occurrence and development of overlapping rhinitis; allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps conduce to the development of each other. Asthma and family history of asthma play important roles in occurrence and development of AR. Key words: Allergic rhinitis; Non-allergic rhinitis; Allergy; Nasal polyposis; Asthma