Blaiss Michael S
University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Allergy Asthma Proc. 2005 Jan-Feb;26(1):35-40.
Over the last several years, important research has demonstrated the link between the upper airways disease, rhinitis, and lower airways disease, asthma. In fact, it appears that asthma and rhinitis represent components of a single inflammatory airways disease. With the use of epidemiologic data and pathophysiologic studies, the connection between these inflammatory conditions becomes clear. Numerous population studies show the high rate of asthma in patients with allergic rhinitis compared to the general population. Several surveys suggest the rate of rhinitis in asthma patients to be as high as 100%. Recent studies in humans demonstrate that local allergen exposure in the nose of patients with allergic rhinitis can quickly lead to significant allergic inflammation in the lungs, even without a previous history of asthma or airways bronchial hyperreactivity. It is important for the clinician to understand the connection between these disorders so that all patients with rhinitis are evaluated for lower airways disease, and all patients with asthma be screened for upper airways conditions.
在过去几年中，重要研究已证实上呼吸道疾病（鼻炎）与下呼吸道疾病（哮喘）之间的联系。事实上，哮喘和鼻炎似乎是单一炎症性气道疾病的组成部分。通过流行病学数据和病理生理学研究，这些炎症性疾病之间的联系变得清晰。大量人群研究表明，与普通人群相比，过敏性鼻炎患者中哮喘的发病率很高。多项调查显示，哮喘患者中鼻炎的发病率高达100%。最近对人类的研究表明，过敏性鼻炎患者鼻腔局部接触过敏原可迅速导致肺部出现明显的过敏性炎症，即使之前没有哮喘病史或气道支气管高反应性。临床医生了解这些疾病之间的联系很重要，以便对所有鼻炎患者进行下呼吸道疾病评估，并对所有哮喘患者进行上呼吸道疾病筛查。
