2016 Volume 30 Issue 5 Pages 642-650
Background : Allergic rhinitis (AR) has been characterized by questionnaires based on the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines as well as the Practical Guideline for the Management of Allergic Rhinitis in Japan (PG-MARJ). However, many patients have been classified as experiencing moderate/severe AR according to the ARIA definition ; because PG-MARJ symptom scores represent the average daily count, defining counts accurately is challenging. Purpose : To evaluate the usefulness of the visual analog scale (VAS) for assessing AR severity and degree of nasal symptoms, as well as for general monitoring of pediatric AR cases. Subjects and Methods : We evaluated children with AR, and compared their VAS values with ARIA and PG-MARJ results. Results : Children with moderate/severe AR (defined by ARIA) had significantly higher VAS values than children with mild AR. The cut-off VAS value to distinguish between mild and moderate/severe AR was 26 mm. VAS values were significantly correlated with PG-MARJ symptom scores. In 57 children monitored for 1-2 months, changes in VAS values were significantly correlated with changes in symptom scores. Conclusion : VAS is a useful tool to assess AR severity and monitor the degree of symptoms in pediatric AR cases.
