Page 67 - Škrgat, Sabina, ed. 2022. Severe Asthma - Basic and Clinical Views. Koper: University of Primorska Press. Severe Asthma Forum, 1
P. 67
Characteristics of Upper Respiratory Tract 3.2
in the Patients with Asthma and the Patients
with Episodic Laryngeal Obstruction
Irena Hočevar Boltežar1,2
Abstract 1 University Medical Centre
Background. Asthma and some other diseases of the upper respiratory tract have similar Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
symptoms and signs. The signs and symptoms of rhinitis and laryngitis are not unusual in pa-
tients with allergic asthma. Attacks of dyspnea are not characteristic only for asthma but also 2 Faculty of Medicine,
for some other diseases with pathogenesis in the larynx. University of Ljubljana,
Methods. The recent papers on upper respiratory tract characteristics in the patients with asth- Ljubljana, Slovenia
ma and the patients with episodic laryngeal obstruction were reviewed.
Results. The connections between the nasal signs and symptoms and asthma are well estab-
lished what is not the case for laryngeal problems. The laryngeal symptoms and signs in pa-
tients with asthma can be caused by the same triggers as asthma. However, they can also be
merely the consequences of the asthma signs and symptoms or the asthma treatment. The
pathogenesis of the episodic laryngeal obstruction includes a variety of causes which dictate
the mode of treatment. In some cases, asthma and episodic laryngeal obstruction can coexist.
Conclusions. In order to find the correct diagnosis and proper treatment of the upper respira-
tory tract problems in patients with dyspnea attacks, a team of different specialists is necessary.
Keywords: asthma, rhinitis, laryngitis, allergy, dyspnea, diagnostics, treatment
Upper Respiratory Tract Problems with allergic rhinitis27. The association be-
in the Patients with Asthma tween asthma and allergic rhinitis was exten-
sively studied. It is very likely that it is a dis-
Nasal Disorders ease occurring simultaneously in both parts
of the respiratory tract11,24,17. In a recent study
The upper and lower respiratory tract share on molecular mechanisms causing asthma,
the same anatomical, functional, pathogen- rhinitis and eczema, 15 pathways involved in
ic, clinical, and immunological features. The this multi-morbidity were found2. There are
airborne allergens activate the similar effec- limited studies on the risk factors responsible
tor cells in the respiratory tract. Therefore, a for the progression of allergic rhinitis to asth-
term »the united airway disease« was intro- ma. However, recent data suggest that it is
duced18. It is well known that asthma and al- possible to prevent asthma onset by allergen
lergic rhinitis appear together in a consider- immunotherapy in the patients with allergic
able number of patients. In a large study in rhinitis30.
China, it was confirmed a 29.4% prevalence
of allergic rhinitis in asthmatic patients, and
a 20.6% prevalence of asthma in patients
https://doi.org/10.26 493/978 -961-293 -157-5.67-74
in the Patients with Asthma and the Patients
with Episodic Laryngeal Obstruction
Irena Hočevar Boltežar1,2
Abstract 1 University Medical Centre
Background. Asthma and some other diseases of the upper respiratory tract have similar Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
symptoms and signs. The signs and symptoms of rhinitis and laryngitis are not unusual in pa-
tients with allergic asthma. Attacks of dyspnea are not characteristic only for asthma but also 2 Faculty of Medicine,
for some other diseases with pathogenesis in the larynx. University of Ljubljana,
Methods. The recent papers on upper respiratory tract characteristics in the patients with asth- Ljubljana, Slovenia
ma and the patients with episodic laryngeal obstruction were reviewed.
Results. The connections between the nasal signs and symptoms and asthma are well estab-
lished what is not the case for laryngeal problems. The laryngeal symptoms and signs in pa-
tients with asthma can be caused by the same triggers as asthma. However, they can also be
merely the consequences of the asthma signs and symptoms or the asthma treatment. The
pathogenesis of the episodic laryngeal obstruction includes a variety of causes which dictate
the mode of treatment. In some cases, asthma and episodic laryngeal obstruction can coexist.
Conclusions. In order to find the correct diagnosis and proper treatment of the upper respira-
tory tract problems in patients with dyspnea attacks, a team of different specialists is necessary.
Keywords: asthma, rhinitis, laryngitis, allergy, dyspnea, diagnostics, treatment
Upper Respiratory Tract Problems with allergic rhinitis27. The association be-
in the Patients with Asthma tween asthma and allergic rhinitis was exten-
sively studied. It is very likely that it is a dis-
Nasal Disorders ease occurring simultaneously in both parts
of the respiratory tract11,24,17. In a recent study
The upper and lower respiratory tract share on molecular mechanisms causing asthma,
the same anatomical, functional, pathogen- rhinitis and eczema, 15 pathways involved in
ic, clinical, and immunological features. The this multi-morbidity were found2. There are
airborne allergens activate the similar effec- limited studies on the risk factors responsible
tor cells in the respiratory tract. Therefore, a for the progression of allergic rhinitis to asth-
term »the united airway disease« was intro- ma. However, recent data suggest that it is
duced18. It is well known that asthma and al- possible to prevent asthma onset by allergen
lergic rhinitis appear together in a consider- immunotherapy in the patients with allergic
able number of patients. In a large study in rhinitis30.
China, it was confirmed a 29.4% prevalence
of allergic rhinitis in asthmatic patients, and
a 20.6% prevalence of asthma in patients
https://doi.org/10.26 493/978 -961-293 -157-5.67-74
