Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Introduction Allergic rhinitis is the specific inflammation against allergen by immune defense cells on the nasal mucosa, which can lead to chronic nasal symptoms such as sneezing, itching, runny nose, and nasal congestion. It is associated with high morbidity including sinusitis, asthma, o...

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Main Authors: Kenneth Mlay, Gasper Temba, Adrian Matasha, Pendael Mzonge, Denis Katundu, Desderius Chussi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Immunity, Inflammation and Disease
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/iid3.70130
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author Kenneth Mlay
Gasper Temba
Adrian Matasha
Pendael Mzonge
Denis Katundu
Desderius Chussi
author_facet Kenneth Mlay
Gasper Temba
Adrian Matasha
Pendael Mzonge
Denis Katundu
Desderius Chussi
author_sort Kenneth Mlay
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Introduction Allergic rhinitis is the specific inflammation against allergen by immune defense cells on the nasal mucosa, which can lead to chronic nasal symptoms such as sneezing, itching, runny nose, and nasal congestion. It is associated with high morbidity including sinusitis, asthma, otitis media, hypertrophied inferior turbinate, and nasal polyps. Despite its complications, it remains poorly recognized and tracked. Methods A cross‐sectional hospital‐based study was done, a total of 221 patients received Ear, Nose And Throat services at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center during the study period all patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis were captured; Data was collected using a pre‐tested coded questionnaire (Score For Allergic Rhinitis). The data was then analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results A total of 221 patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis were approached in a 6 months study period, 111 (50.2%) were females, and 140 (63.4%) were residing in urban areas. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 23.9%. Factors such as age OR 0.12, 95% CI (0.03; 0.40), education OR 0.13, 95% CI (0.04; 0.44), occupation OR 3.75, 95% CI (1.36; 10.32), adenotonsillar hypertrophy OR 4.66, 95% CI (2.21; 9.80), and OME OR 4.11, 95% CI (1.32; 12.83) (p = 0.009) were found to be significantly associated with allergic rhinitis. 60.4%, Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is the leading co‐morbidity of allergic rhinitis which accounts for 64.7%. Conclusion Allergic rhinitis is among the common health problems affecting Tanzanians. It is a commonly seen disorder in younger age ( < 15 years) which is in correlation with other studies done in Africa and worldwide.
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spelling doaj-art-b40b0488946745f49d6d924bc016c7492025-02-06T07:50:38ZengWileyImmunity, Inflammation and Disease2050-45272025-01-01131n/an/a10.1002/iid3.70130Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional StudyKenneth Mlay0Gasper Temba1Adrian Matasha2Pendael Mzonge3Denis Katundu4Desderius Chussi5Department of Medicine Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Moshi TanzaniaDepartment of Medicine Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Moshi TanzaniaDepartment of Medicine Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Moshi TanzaniaDepartment of Medicine Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Moshi TanzaniaDepartment of Medicine Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Moshi TanzaniaDepartment of Medicine Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Moshi TanzaniaABSTRACT Introduction Allergic rhinitis is the specific inflammation against allergen by immune defense cells on the nasal mucosa, which can lead to chronic nasal symptoms such as sneezing, itching, runny nose, and nasal congestion. It is associated with high morbidity including sinusitis, asthma, otitis media, hypertrophied inferior turbinate, and nasal polyps. Despite its complications, it remains poorly recognized and tracked. Methods A cross‐sectional hospital‐based study was done, a total of 221 patients received Ear, Nose And Throat services at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center during the study period all patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis were captured; Data was collected using a pre‐tested coded questionnaire (Score For Allergic Rhinitis). The data was then analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results A total of 221 patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis were approached in a 6 months study period, 111 (50.2%) were females, and 140 (63.4%) were residing in urban areas. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 23.9%. Factors such as age OR 0.12, 95% CI (0.03; 0.40), education OR 0.13, 95% CI (0.04; 0.44), occupation OR 3.75, 95% CI (1.36; 10.32), adenotonsillar hypertrophy OR 4.66, 95% CI (2.21; 9.80), and OME OR 4.11, 95% CI (1.32; 12.83) (p = 0.009) were found to be significantly associated with allergic rhinitis. 60.4%, Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is the leading co‐morbidity of allergic rhinitis which accounts for 64.7%. Conclusion Allergic rhinitis is among the common health problems affecting Tanzanians. It is a commonly seen disorder in younger age ( < 15 years) which is in correlation with other studies done in Africa and worldwide.https://doi.org/10.1002/iid3.70130allergic rhinitisARIAotorhinolaryngologySFAR
spellingShingle Kenneth Mlay
Gasper Temba
Adrian Matasha
Pendael Mzonge
Denis Katundu
Desderius Chussi
Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional Study
Immunity, Inflammation and Disease
allergic rhinitis
ARIA
otorhinolaryngology
SFAR
title Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional Study
title_full Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional Study
title_fullStr Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional Study
title_full_unstemmed Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional Study
title_short Allergic Rhinitis and Its Associated Co‐Morbidities Among Patients Attending the ENT Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Northern Tanzania: Cross‐Sectional Study
title_sort allergic rhinitis and its associated co morbidities among patients attending the ent department at kilimanjaro christian medical center in northern tanzania cross sectional study
topic allergic rhinitis
ARIA
otorhinolaryngology
SFAR
url https://doi.org/10.1002/iid3.70130
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