Elsevier

Respiratory Medicine

Volume 176, January 2021, 106250
Respiratory Medicine

The triad of current asthma, rhinitis and eczema is uncommon among adults: Prevalence, sensitization profiles, and risk factors

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2020.106250Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Data on the coexistence of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in adults are lacking.

  • Our study demonstrates that in a general adult population, about 2% have concomitant asthma, rhinitis, and eczema.

  • As new treatments for asthma emerge, epidemiological data on the coexistence of asthma with allergic conditions are needed.

Abstract

Background

Coexistence of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema has been studied in children, but data are lacking in adults. As new treatments emerge, epidemiological data on the coexistence are needed.

Aims

To study the prevalence of concomitant asthma, rhinitis and eczema in the general adult population and among those sensitized to aeroallergens, and to study associations between background characteristics and risks of phenotypes of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema.

Methods

In the West Sweden Asthma Study, phenotypes and sensitization profiles of 1103 randomly selected adults (16–75 years) were assessed. The methods included measures of serum-IgE and structured interviews on asthma, rhinitis, eczema, their associated symptoms, and relevant risk factors.

Results

Among all participants and in those sensitized, 2% and 6% had concomitant asthma, rhinitis, and eczema, respectively, and the condition did not differ by age or sex. Corresponding figures for asthma and rhinitis, but not eczema, was 8% and 19%, respectively. Determinants of coexistence of the three conditions were family history of asthma/allergy, body mass index, and occupational exposure to gas, dust and fumes.

Allergic sensitization in those with asthma, rhinitis and eczema was found in 78%, in those with asthma and rhinitis but not eczema in 65%, in those with asthma and eczema but not rhinitis in 40%, while only 5% were sensitized among those having asthma only.

Conclusions

In the general adult population about 2% have concomitant asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. Of sensitized adults, about 6% has coexistence of the three conditions.

Keywords

Population study
Combined asthma-rhinitis-eczema
Prevalence
Allergic sensitization
Risk factors

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