Allergic rhinitis, asthma called parts of continuum. (Treating Allergy Limits Asthma Risk).(Brief Article)

ORLANDO -- Anew initiative from the World Health Organization emphasizes that allergic rhinitis and asthma are different components of a single disease process.

Patients with persistent allergic rhinitis should be evaluated for asthma; likewise, those with asthma should be examined for allergic rhinitis, according to presentations at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. A physical exam is suggested at minimum, and some formal evaluation of airflow obstruction before and after use of a bronchodilator is recommended.

In its Initiative on Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), the World Health Organization …