Selected articles

Antihistamines are commonly prescribed for the management of allergic rhinitis and urticaria. The quantification of their consumption is relevant in clinical practice, as their use is usually associated with severe symptoms. In addition, symptomatic use of antihistamines is a useful parameter for evaluating allergen immunotherapy effectiveness. However, the use of a diary for recording the number of tablets is frequently negligenced as patients forget to register the actual quantity of tablets taken.

A visual analogue scale (VAS) measures the patient’s perception of symptom severity, emotions and pain.

This study aimed at measuring the VAS for assessing the patient’s perception about antihistamines use in allergic rhinitis. A total of 103 patients with allergic rhinitis due to Parietaria pollen were retrospectively evaluated. They recorded monthly the number of antihistamine tablets taken during the pollen season.

There was a strong relationship between the number of tablets and the VAS score, which represents a possibility of using VAS to estimate the patient’s perception of antihistamines use in clinical practice.

Around 20-30% of the European populations suffer from allergic rhinitis, which affects their social life, sleep and work productivity, indirectly rising the economic burden for society.

The ARIA (allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma) initiative has been developing guidelines for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma to ensure the highest level of best practices in real-life settings, and has evolved towards integrated care pathways using mobile technology and further to management as the key to provide an active and healthy life to all allergic rhinitis patients.

In September 2018, the first ARIA masterclass was held in Brussels with the following key objectives:

• To provide unbiased education on the best-practices for allergic rhinitis diagnosis, treatment and follow-up
• To update clinicians about recent research data in allergic rhinitis and asthma, from clinical trials to real-world evidence
• To share next generation care pathways for the optimal management of patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma
• To inform clinicians about change management and its impact on healthcare
• To support clinicians with the adoption of digital solutions in daily practice.

A recent study showed that allergic rhinitis specialists behave like patients, showing a real disconnection between physician’s prescription and patient’s behavior for allergic rhinitis treatment.

The majority of allergists prescribe medications for the entire pollen season, but the vast majority of patients use their medications on-demand when their symptoms are not well controlled.

The objective of the ARIA masterclass was to anticipate a reconnection between physicians and patients, by promoting a patient-centered approach, with a therapeutic strategy tailored to the patient needs but also to their preferences. The use of integrated care pathways and mobile Apps can facilitate this change in care management. In turn, this would result in better symptoms controls for patients, and a substantial reduction of indirect cost for the society.