Table 4. Characteristics of the individuals included in the study.
| Overall patients with allergic rhinitis (n = 515) | Patients with allergic rhinitis plus asthma (n = 366) | Patients with allergic rhinitis alone (n = 149) | Healthy subjects (n = 526) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women, n (%) | 294 (57.1%) | 193 (52.7%) | 82 (55.0%) | 265 (50.4%) |
| Age ± sd (range) | 32.2 ± 15.1 (14–79) | 30.1 ± 13.2 (14–79) | 32.5 ± 16.5 (14–77) | 28.4 ± 12.1 (18–84) |
| Smokers, n (%) | 151 (29.3%) | 82 (22.4%) | 69 (46.3%) | 168 (31.9%) |
| Familial antecedents, n (%) | 206 (40.0%) | 155 (42.3%) | 51 (34.2%) | 0 (0%) |
| Total IgE (IU/mL) ± sd (range) | 254.1 ± 401.5 (0–4800) | 287.2 ± 464.1 (0–4800) | 205.7 ± 228.4 (4–1469) | not determined |
| Eosinophilia, n (%) | 88 (17.0%) | 86 (23.4%) | 2 (1.3%) | not determined |
| Allergic rhinitis type, n (%) | 116/239/160 (22.5/46.4/74.4) | 62/185/119 (16.9/50.5/32.5) | 54/54/41 (2) (34.2/34.2/27.5) | n.a. |
| FEV1 (% predicted) | n.a. | 94 ± 62 | n.a. | n.a. |
| Asthma severity step 1,2,3,4, n (%) | n.a. | 106/130/107/23 (29.0/35.5/29.2/6.3) | n.a. | n.a. |
Eosinophilia is defined as an eosinophils count over 400/ml or over 6% of white cells. The category smokers includes ex-smokers. Allergic rhinitis type was classified as follows (intermittent, persistent mild and persistent moderate). n.a. Not applicable. FEV: Forced expiratory volume.