Investigators from the University of Gothenburg have performed a large-scale epidemiological survey in West Sweden, comprising of a arbitrary sample of 30,000 persons and a answer rate of 62%. The authors have up to that time shown that the frequency of asthma is high, at approximately 8.5%, but stable over the last two decades. In this study they found that the prevalence of severe asthma is as high as 2%. Lead researcher Jan Lötvall said, “Individuals reporting multiple asthma symptoms are likely to have a more severe form of asthma, which has been shown to enlarge the risk of asthma attacks, increases health care utilization and negatively power value of life”.
The report further shows that the risk of having asthma with numerous symptoms is considerably increased in those treatment symptoms from the nose, including blocked nose and runny nose. exclusively, the investigators show that signs of chronic rhinosinusitis, which has been defined as having at least two symptoms of nasal blockage, runny nose, be short of of stink and/or pain from sinuses over at least 12 weeks, further increase the jeopardy of severe asthma.This is the first study based on an epidemiological cohort presentation a close association between severe nasal symptoms and severe asthma.
According to Lötvall, “Our study strongly ropes the concept that nasal disease and asthma often are closely associated, and argues that doctors should consider whether asthma patients with symptoms from the nose have severe asthma, possibly requiring more intense intervention”.
