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Allergic rhinitis and asthma in children: disease management and outcomes
1Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Infantile Hospital, Santa Rosa 381, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina. baena@powernet.net.ar
Insights
Antihistamines and inhaled glucocorticoids significantly improve symptoms and objective measures for children with allergic rhinitis and asthma. These treatments enhance quality of life by reducing symptom severity and medication needs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Allergic rhinitis and asthma often co-occur in children, impacting their quality of life.
- The "allergic cascade" involves multiple inflammatory pathways that can be targeted by specific medications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent clinical findings on antihistamines and topical corticosteroids in pediatric allergy and asthma.
- To evaluate the effects of these medications on objective and subjective health outcomes in children.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent clinical studies and findings.
- Analysis of data on subjective symptom relief and objective functional improvements.
Main Results:
- Antihistamines provide significant relief for subjective allergic symptoms like rhinorrhea and sneezing.
- Topical corticosteroids improve nasal patency and reduce discomfort; inhaled steroids benefit asthma control and reduce rescue medication use.
Conclusions:
- Antihistamines and inhaled glucocorticoids offer a promising therapeutic approach for children with allergic rhinitis, asthma, or both.
- These medications lead to enhanced outcomes, improving both patient-reported symptoms and objective clinical measures.
Abstract:
Antihistamines and inhaled glucocorticoids, which can be targeted toward multiple points in the "allergic cascade" underlying allergic rhinitis and asthma, extend the promise of enhanced outcomes in children with allergic rhinitis, asthma, or both. Antihistamine therapy confers significant relief of subjective ratings of seasonal and perennial allergic symptoms (e.g., rhinorrhea, congestion, sneezing, pruritus), whereas topical steroids alleviate such discomfort while also improving objective anatomic and functional indices of nasal patency (e.g., nasal peak inspiratory flow). Youngsters with asthma also experience substantial clinical benefits from inhaled steroids, which improve objective measures of pulmonary function and reduce rescue beta 2-agonists for symptom management and quality-of-life enhancement. This paper reviews recent clinical findings on the role of antihistamines and topical corticosteroids in pediatric allergy and asthma management, as well as the favorable effects of these medications on both objective and subjective health outcomes.