Steinsvåg Sverre K
Øre-nese-hals-avdelingen, Sørlandet sykehus, 4604 Kristiansand og Øre-nese-hals-avdelingen, Haukeland universitetssykehus, Norway.
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2009 Oct 8;129(19):1982-4. doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.08.0394.
Diseases in the upper and lower airways often occur concomitantly, and evidence indicates a close relationship between them. Optimal treatment of airway disease requires knowledge about this relationship; the article presents an updated overview of the field.
This paper is based on extensive clinical experience with airway disease, own research and literature studies.
It is well documented that patients suffering from asthma have rhinitis more often than those without. Likewise, those suffering from nose and sinus disease, e.g. allergic rhinitis, sinusitis and nasal polyposis, have an increased incidence of asthma. Treatment of disorders in one airway compartment often has a positive impact on the airways in general.
Disorders in the upper and lower airways should be considered as the same disease to a larger extent than they are today. Patients with disease in one airway compartment should be considered for pathology elsewhere in the airways. Therapeutically, the airways should be regarded as one entity.
上、下气道疾病常同时发生，有证据表明它们之间存在密切关系。气道疾病的最佳治疗需要了解这种关系；本文对该领域进行了最新综述。
本文基于对气道疾病的广泛临床经验、自身研究及文献研究。
有充分文献记载，哮喘患者患鼻炎的几率高于非哮喘患者。同样，患有鼻和鼻窦疾病（如过敏性鼻炎、鼻窦炎和鼻息肉病）的患者哮喘发病率也会增加。治疗一个气道腔室的疾病通常对整个气道有积极影响。
上、下气道疾病在很大程度上应被视为同一种疾病，而目前的认识程度还不够。一个气道腔室患病的患者应考虑气道其他部位是否存在病变。在治疗上，应将气道视为一个整体。
