Abstract :
Introduction: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common disease in India. The association between eosinophils and allergic diseases has been known since many years.
Objectives: To correlate Nasal smear eosinophilia (NSE), blood absolute eosinophil count (AEC) and total serum IgE levels with severity of the clinical score in patients with allergic rhinitis.
Materials and Methods: This is one-year prospective study in patients (n=60) presented with allergic rhinitis to our institute. After taking consent, all the study participants were subjected for blood AEC, IgE levels and nasal smears for eosinophils.
Results: Among the samples, 81.7% were males. The mean age of patients was 35.2 years. AEC > 440 cells/cu.mm was seen in 46.6%, NSE>10% in 81.6% and total serum IgE was elevated > 100 IU/ml in 95.0%. There was a good correlation of NSE and serum IgE with the severity of disease. There was no correlation of blood AEC with the severity of clinical score. Data was analysed using SPSS software.rn
Conclusion: NSE and IgE both correlated well with severity of the disease. Nasal smear cytology is a simple procedure having good correlation with severity of clinical score should be used routinely. Testing for serum IgE levels will increase the accuracy with a better diagnostic utility.
Keyword :
Allergic Rhinitis, AEC, Nasal Cytology, IgE