A rhinitis phenotype associated with increased development of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and asthma in children

Allergic rhinitis (AR) has a wide range of clinical features and may be accompanied by comorbid allergic diseases.

To identify rhinitis phenotypes in school aged children and to predict the prognosis for developing bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and asthma.

This prospective follow-up study involved schoolchildren from the Children's Health and Environment Research cohort with current rhinitis, which was defined based on parental-reported, physician-diagnosed rhinitis and symptoms of rhinitis in the previous 12 months. All participants were followed up at 2 and 4 years later. Rhinitis clusters were identified by latent class analysis that used demographic, clinical, and environmental variables.

In 512 eligible children (age range, 6-8 years), 4 rhinitis phenotypes were identified: cluster 1 (25% of children) was associated with nonatopy and a low socioeconomic status; cluster 2 (36%) was associated with a high-atopic burden but normal lung function; cluster 3 (22%) was associated with a high-atopic burden and impaired lung function; and cluster 4 (17%) was associated with low atopy and a high socioeconomic status. Cluster 3 was associated with the highest total serum IgE levels and blood eosinophil percentages at enrollment and the highest incidence of new cases of BHR (P = .04) and asthma symptoms (P = .005) during follow-up.

The rhinitis cluster of schoolchildren with atopy and impaired lung function is associated with allergic march. This identification of distinct rhinitis phenotypes in affected children may help to prevent allergic march in children with rhinitis.