Health-Related Quality of Life and Rhinitis Control Measures in Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

The personal burden of illness as perceived by allergic rhinitis patients extends beyond clinical symptoms with an impact on sleep, social life and daily activities including work and school performance. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is now recognised as one of the most important patient-reported outcomes in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Several validated HRQoL instruments are currently available, aiming to quantify the degree to which the medical condition or its treatment impacts on the individual’s life in a valid and reproducible way. Recently, there has been an increased interest in disease control, and it is now being considered as an alternative to disease severity in the management of allergic rhinitis patients. To that effect, different rhinitis control measures have been developed and validated. This review will explore the HRQoL instruments and rhinitis control measures currently available, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages and potential use in research and clinical practice.