Treating Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis in Pregnancy

Most patients with asthma have rhinitis suggesting the concept of ‘one airway one disease’ or ‘united airways’. However, not all patients with rhinitis present with asthma.

The 1999 WHO workshop ‘Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma’ recommended:

- patients with persistent allergic rhinitis should be evaluated for asthma by history, chest examination, and possibly assessment of airflow obstruction before and after bronchodilator

- history and examination of the upper respiratory tract for allergic rhinitis should be performed in patients with asthma

References:

Treating Asthma and Comorbid Allergic Rhinitis in Pregnancy: A Review of the Current Guidelines. Barbara Yawn, MD, MSc, FAAFP; Mary Knudtson, DNSc, NP. Medscape, 06/2007.
Asthma exacerbations during pregnancy can be reduced with a FENO-based treatment algorithm - number needed to treat was 6 (Lancet, 2011).
Asthma and pregnancy. JACI, 2011.
Maternal Asthma Medication Use and the Risk of Selected Birth Defects. Pediatrics, 2012.
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