Prof. Jean Bousquet, GA²LEN Vice-President and Chairman of ARIA, Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma, stresses that “neither allergic nor non-allergic rhinitis are trivial disorders. They significantly impair patients’ daily quality of life, school and work performance. Moreover, people with allergic rhinitis have a greater risk to develop asthma and many patients with rhinitis already have asthma as well. Although patients come with a complaint about their nose, asthma too must be checked by the doctor.”

Dr. Chris van Weel, from WONCA, adds “The majority of patients who seek medical advice are seen in primary care practices. General practitioners therefore have a central role to play in the adequate diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis. These two short publications intend to support primary care physicians in their diagnostic and facilitate doctors’ assessment of the disease and medication choices.” In the accompanying editorial, he expends on the central role of primary care in the diagnosis, treatment and management of allergic rhinitis.

The guidelines review best practices worldwide, based on current state-of-the-art research. They propose practical questionnaires for history taking, which is at the core of diagnosis, including advice on how to differentiate allergic rhinitis from other common diseases such as the common cold and non-allergic rhinitis.

Classifications will allow doctors to assess the severity of the disease and the impact on the patients’ quality of life. Primary care professionals will also find a list of ‘red flags’ suggesting that urgent referral is need and a glossary of rhinitis medications.

These guidelines complement GA²LEN’s campaign ‘Does rhinitis lead to asthma?’, launched in 2007.

Notes

1. Primary care: the cornerstone of diagnosis of allergic rhinitis
Ryan et al. Allergy 2008, Vol 63, N°8, pp. 981-989
This publication was developed as part of the GA²LEN campaign, ‘Does rhinitis lead to asthma?’ in collaboration with WONCA, IPCRG, EFA and GA²LEN.
2. Allergic rhinitis management pocket reference 2008
Bousquet et al. Allergy 2008. Vol 63, N°8, pp. 990-996
This publication follows the publication of the ARIA update 2008 and was developed in collaboration with WONCA, IPCRG and IPAG representing health professionals, EFA representing patients and GA²LEN and AllerGen representing Europen and Canadian scientists. The publication was coordinated by ARIA.
3. GA²LEN, the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, is a “Network of Excellence” funded by the European Union 6th Framework programme for research. It consists of 26 research centres, as well as the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and the European Federation of Allergy Patients Associations (EFA).  GA²LEN multidisciplinary research teams address all aspects of allergic diseases with an aim to improve the understanding of common risk factors and mechanisms and to harmonize European research in allergy and asthma. www.ga2len.net
4. ARIA: Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma, www.whiar.org
5. IPCRG, The International Primary Care Respiratory Group, http://www.theipcrg.org/
6. WONCA, The World Organization of Family Doctors. www.globalfamilydoctor.com
7. IPAG, International Primary Care Airways Group. http://www.ipagguide.org/
8. EFA, European Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Association, www.efanet.org

PR Contacts
Prof. Jean Bousquet, University of Montpellier, Mobile: +33 6 11 42 88 47, jean.bousquet@inserm.fr