Allergic rhinitis in Rochester, Minnesota residents with asthma: Frequencyand impact on health care charges

Background: Asthma is a common and costly condition. Concomitant asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) have been shown to increase the medication costs fo r people with asthma. No studies have compared medical care costs of those with and without concomitant BE. Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence and incremental medical c are costs of concomitant AR. Methods: For each member of a population-based asthma cohort, we used all t heir medical charts within Olmsted County to record age at first diagnosis of asthma; the presence and age of any diagnosis of AR; and the total, ambu latory, and respiratory care-related costs of medical care. Costs mere comp ared for age- and ser-specific strata of people with asthma who did and did not have AR. Results: AR was most commonly diagnosed in people whose asthma was diagnose d before age 25 (prevalence of 59%) and uncommonly diagnosed in anyone afte r age 40 (prevalence <15%). Yearly medical care charges were on average 46% higher for those with asthma and concomitant AR than for persons with asth ma alone, controlling for age and sex We were unable to assess the impact o f treatment of AR on medical care charges. Conclusions: Physicians should consider the diagnosis of AR (prevalence >50 %) in all symptomatic children and young adults with asthma Further evaluat ion is necessary to evaluate the ability of treatment to decrease the incre mental costs of AR in persons with asthma.