OBJECTIVES: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are separate manifestations of the same respiratory allergic disease. They often coexist in the same individual, with AR often preceding the development of asthma. This research aimed to understand unmet needs by reviewing the burden of and treatments for comorbid AR and asthma.
METHODS: Targeted PubMed and desktop searches were conducted to identify information on epidemiological, humanistic, and economic burden of and treatments for comorbid AR and asthma.
RESULTS: Studies in different countries assessing different age groups indicate that 20% to 60% of patients with AR have asthma, while over 80% of patients with asthma have AR. Individuals with AR have a higher risk of developing asthma compared with individuals without AR. Patients with comorbid AR and asthma have worse quality of life and incur greater costs than patients with each disease alone. There are currently no treatments available for preventing asthma in patients with AR. Treatments recommended for managing asthma in patients with AR and asthma include inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta-agonists, and leukotriene receptor antagonists. However, these treatments do not have disease-modifying properties. The SQ grass SLIT-tablet (75,000 SQ-T, ALK, Denmark) is indicated for disease-modifying treatment of grass pollen–induced rhinitis and conjunctivitis in adults and children. Results from the Grazax Asthma Prevention (GAP) trial have shown that it can reduce risk of asthma symptoms and asthma medication use in children with grass pollen AR.
CONCLUSIONS: The presence of AR is a risk factor for developing asthma. There are currently no treatments available for asthma prevention. Early diagnosis and adequate control of AR is crucial to halt its progression to asthma. The SQ grass SLIT-tablet treats the underlying cause of respiratory allergic disease and has been shown to reduce risk of asthma symptoms and asthma medication use in children with grass pollen AR.
