Quality of life during pollen season in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis with or without asthma

Objectives: We studied the evolution of generic and rhinoconjunctivitis-specific quality of life (QOL) during pollen season in patients with isolated seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and those with asthma and concomitant SAR (AS+SAR). Generic QOL between groups was also compared at pollen peak. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in Southern France in 2002. Outpatients aged 18 - 60, regularly visiting respiratory physicians for SAR, were recruited before the grass ( grass cohort) or ragweed pollination period ( ragweed cohort). Before the pollination period ( baseline) and at peak pollination, patients completed French versions of the Mini Rhinoconjuctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini-RQLQ) and physical and mental Short Form-12 (SF-12) scores (PCS andMCS) to determine rhinoconjunctivitis and generic QOL. Results: Totals of 83 and 52 patients were included in the SAR and AS+SAR groups, respectively ( mean age = 35.4; 56.4% females). Mini-RQLQ scores indicated slightly worse QOL in the A+SAR group at inclusion, which significantly deteriorated at the time of pollen peak, both in the SAR ( p < 0.0001) and AS+SAR groups ( p = 0.003). In univariate analysis, significantly higher SF-12 PCS ( meaning better QOL) were observed at pollen peak in the SAR compared with the AS+SAR group ( p = 0.0008), while the difference for SF-12 MCS was more limited ( p = 0.05). Results were confirmed in multivariable analyses adjusting for gender, allergy medication use at pollen peak, cohort of inclusion (grass/ ragweed) and comorbid conditions. Conclusions: Significant deterioration in rhinoconjunctivitis-specific QOL was observed through the pollination period in patients with SAR and AS+SAR. At pollen peak, AS+SAR patients experienced significantly worse physical functioning than patients with SAR alone. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.