Importance of allergic rhinitis management in achieving asthma control: ARIA update

Asthma continues to be a major burden for the health and healthcare of people worldwide. The recent updates of the Global Initiative for Asthma and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute asthma guidelines stress the need for achieving and monitoring asthma 'control', emphasizing the importance of identifying, assessing and treating comorbid conditions. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a major comorbid condition in people with asthma and is related to inflammation of the upper portions of the airway. Recognizing and treating AR has been shown to improve asthma control, specifically by decreasing rates of asthma attacks or asthma exacerbations. In 2008, updated Allergic Rhinitis in Asthma (ARIA) guidelines were published. The updated version of the guidelines has a familiar look, with classification systems and care algorithms that are similar to those presented in other asthma guidelines. The new ARIA guidelines make one major change that should affect the care of adults and children with asthma: everyone with asthma should be assessed for AR. In addition, AR should be considered a risk factor for asthma, and all children and adults with AR, especially persistent AR, should be assessed for asthma, including testing lung function for reversible obstruction whenever feasible. Treatment for AR follows a similar format to that for asthma, including symptom management, treatment of chronic inflammation, identification and management of triggers, including allergens, and ongoing education for self-management. Pharmacotherapies that address both asthma and AR include corticosteroids (intranasal and inhaled), leukotriene receptor antagonists, immunomodulation or immunotherapy. Too often, pharmacotherapy is not supplemented by the necessary education and evaluation related to allergen, trigger identification and management.