بررسی فراوانی رینیت آلرژیک و بیماری های همراه با آن در مراجعین به بیمارستان امیرالمومنین (ع) شهر رشت

Background and purpose: Allergic rhinitis is a common disease in different parts of the world. It can cause deterioration of symptoms of comorbid diseases and has harmful effects on daily activities and social functions of patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of allergic rhinitis and comorbidities in patients attending Rasht Amiralmomenin Hospital, Iran. Materials and methods: In this cross sectional descriptive study, 1337 patients attending an ENT Clinic were investigated from October 2014 to September 2015. Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis was made based on history, physical examination, a high score in the score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR), and positive nasal smear test for eosinophils. Then demographic data and comorbidities were recorded. Data analysis was done in SPSS V19 applying Chi-square test. Results: The frequency of allergic rhinitis was 37.3% and 62.7% in men and women, respectively and the total frequency was 23.2%. Also, we observed more allergic rhinitis in spring and autumn than other seasons. There were significant associations between allergic rhinitis and gender and occupation, but we found no association with marital status and level of education. Allergic rhinitis was higher in some diseases as comorbidity, including adenoid hypertrophy, nasal polyps, and sinusitis. Conclusion: More than a quarter of patients studied had allergic rhinitis. The condition has negative effects on other symptoms and quality of life of patients. Therefore, allergic rhinitis should also be considered in patients with other ENT-related conditions.