A cross sectional assessment of allergic rhinitis and asthma control at an immunoallergology outpatient hospital setting using CARAT10 questionnaire.

Introduction: The most recent guidelines on asthma and rhinitis management recommend the optimal control of both diseases as the primary goal of treatment. CARAT10 is a recently developed and validated Portuguese questionnaire, which permits the simultaneous assessment of allergic rhinitis and asthma (ARA) control. There is no published data about the use of this tool. Aims: To assess ARA control using CARAT10 in an Immunoallergology hospital setting; Methods: Patients with diagnosis of allergic rhinitis with or without asthma (positive aeroallergens prick-tests and/or positive specific IgE) were sequentially enrolled and asked to fill in CARAT10 questionnaire at their first appointment. Results: Two hundred patients were included, mostly female (n = 142) with an average age of 33.6 +/- 12.3 years. ARA was present in 86 patients while 114 had isolated allergic rhinitis. In ARA group, 86% scored CARATtotal <= 24, meaning poor control. Subscores revealed that 83% had poorly controlled rhinitis (CARATr <= 8) and 74% had poorly controlled asthma (CARATa < 16). There were no age or gender related differences in ARA control. In allergic rhinitis group (n = 114), 89% were poorly controlled. Conclusions: Only 14% of patients presenting rhinitis and asthma had both diseases controlled. (C) 2012 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.