The Risk of Sinusitis in Children with Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

It is said that bacterial sinusitis occurs often in patients with allergic rhinitis, but this correlation has not yet been determined. We studied this issue for 5 years in 413 children, of whom 215 had perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) and 198 had seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). The prevalence of sinusitis in patients with PAR compared with those with SAR was determined with respect to the following factors: age, season, and sensitivity to airborne allergens. We found that the prevalence of sinusitis was significantly higher among patients with PAR than among those with SAR regardless of age or season. When the risk of sinusitis was compared between patients with PAR and SAR, patients with mold allergy PAR had a higher risk than those with non-mold allergy (PAR relative risk 2.49 versus 1.50, respectively). We conclude that mold allergy is an important risk factor for sinusitis, and that its management may help to reduce the occurrence of sinusitis.