Retrospective survey of 1271 patients diagnosed as perennial rhinitis

Data from 1271 patients with perennial rhinitis has been assessed. This condition predominantly affects children and young adults; 31-5% stated that symptoms first appeared before the age of 10 years, less than 10% were aged 50 years or more suggesting that the disease process may well disappear in later life. The total sample size was equally divided between the sexes and the mean age for the sexes was similar. In terms of age distribution a sex difference was found in that the peak incidence for males occurred in the age group 10-19 years whereas for females it was in the third decade (P less than 0-001). The duration of the disease was, in most cases, between 2 and 9 years but it can extend to over 15 years and thus become subacute or chronic. The major symptom is blocking which could be due to either histological changes in the mucosa or immunological reactions. Skin tests showed that 64% had a positive reaction to common allergens; however, nasal challenge tests were of little value in determining whether a patient could be classified as allergic. Eosinophils were noted in 66%. The value of skin tests and nasal smears is discussed.