Assessment of allergic rhinitis severity symptoms using visual analog scale

Abstract

© 2016, Serbian Medical Society. All rights reserved. Objective. To examine the characteristics of patients with allergic rhinitis and assess the severity of symptoms by using a visual analog scale. Metods. A prospective study was carried out among allergic rhinitis patients, who were referred by the primary care physician to the ENT Department of Health Centre Kragujevac. The assessment of severity of symptoms was performed using visual analog scale (overall influence of all nasal or nasal and ocular symptoms, VAS score of 0 nasal or nasal and ocular symptoms do not bother to 10 nasal or nasal and ocular symptoms are extremely bothered) during the first examination. Data was statistically analysed with descriptive statistical methods, t-test, χ2 test test and logistic regression using by standard statistical software package (SPSS for Windows, version 19.0). Results. Among our respondents there were 34.3% (37/108) males and 65.7% (71/108) females. Average age of all patients was 29 ± 15,1. Average duration of disease in the sample studied was 7,2 ± 16,2 years. The majority of our participants were classified as having moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis. Severity of disease has a greater impact on the VAS score of disease duration. Average VAS score of all participants were 6,9±4,2. It was found that the severity of the disease and the presence of ocular symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis have an impact on the VAS score (p<0,0001) while the use of therapy and sensitization to inhalant allergens did not have such impact. Conclusion. Visual analog scale is a simple quantitative method to assess the severity of allergic rhinitis.