Allergies up healthcare use by asthmatic children

	Tweet

Children with both asthma and hay fever (allergic rhinitis) incur greater asthma drug costs and are hospitalized more often than similar children who have just asthma, according to a new report.

Dr. Vasilisa Sazonov Kocevar, from Merck and Co., Inc. in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and colleagues analyzed data from 9522 asthmatic children in the UK to assess healthcare resource use. Of these subjects, 1879 had allergic rhinitis.

During the 12-month study period, the group with rhinitis had an average of 4.4 general practitioner (GP) visits and a hospitalization rate of 1.4 percent, the investigators report in the medical journal Pediatrics. The asthma-only group averaged 3.4 doctor visits with a 0.5 percent hospitalization rate.

In addition, rhinitis was linked to an increase in asthma drug costs, regardless of asthma severity.

“These results are consistent with those of two US studies,” Kocevar’s team notes.

The researchers conclude that the “coexistence of asthma and allergic rhinitis identifies a high-risk group of children that should be targeted for care.”

SOURCE: Pediatrics, January 2005.

RELATED STORIES:
Workplace asthma under scrutiny   Why does flu trigger asthma?   A benefit of flu: protection from asthma?   Citrus Oils May Treat Asthma   Update on National Asthma Guidelines Released   Children with asthma have more emotional problems   Mold exposure during infancy increases asthma risk   Magnesium infusion helps kids with asthma attacks   Nebulized Pulmicort verified safe for kids’ asthma   Control of childhood asthma often overestimated   Under-tongue immunotherapy cuts asthma in kids   Asthma inhaler ‘step-down’ may be unnecessary

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]