Factors associated with positive skin tests in patients with allergic rhinitis symptoms

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized by functional nasal manifestations caused by the development of immediate IgE-mediated inflammation of the nasal mucosa in response to exposure to different types of allergens. The purpose of our study was to identify factors predicting positive prick-tests to pneumallergens in patients with AR symptoms. This was a retrospective study of patients with AR, collected over a period of 18 months between January 2017 and June 2018. Diagnosis of AR was clinical. All patients underwent complete ENT examination including nasal endoscopy and prick test with pneumallergens. In all, 148 patients were enrolled during the study period. The average patient age was 31 +/- 4 years, with female predominance (sex ratio 0.76). The main symptoms were sneezing salvos, seen in 73% of cases, followed by clear rhinorrhea (67%) and nasal pruritus (45%). Pneumallergen prick tests were positive in 65.5% of patients. The main allergens identified were mites (72 cases) followed by pollen (42 cases). The factors considered to be associated with a positive skin test were: asthma (P = 0.046), the presence of the complete triad considered of nasal hyperreactivity (P = 0.028) and severe persistent rhinitis (P = 0.003). In this study, skin tests were positive in 65.5% of patients presenting AR symptoms. The main allergens identified were mites. We conclude that asthma was a factor associated with positive skin tests and with the complete triad of nasal hyperreactivity and severe persistent rhinitis. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.