RT Book, Section A1 Garcia-Lloret, Maria A2 Rudolph, Colin D. A2 Rudolph, Abraham M. A2 Lister, George E. A2 First, Lewis R. A2 Gershon, Anne A. SR Print(0) ID 7018597 T1 Chapter 192. Allergic Rhinitis and Conjunctivitis T2 Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22e YR 2011 FD 2011 PB The McGraw-Hill Companies PP New York, NY SN 978-0-07-149723-7 LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=7018597 RD 2024/10/15 AB Allergic rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the upper airway caused by IgE sensitization to airborne allergens in genetically susceptible individuals. In the United States, symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) affect between 20% to 30% of adults and as many as 40% of children. The clinical presentation characteristically is associated with frequent sneezing, nasal congestion, and nasal discharge. The vast majority of patients with allergic rhinitis complain or display ocular symptoms (ie, itchy/watery eyes), thus it is termed allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, for which it is better known. Involvement of the lower airway is frequent: up to 40% of patients with ARC also suffer from asthma, and most show evidence of bronchial hyperreactivity. Allergic rhinitis can affect the child’s quality of life and can be associated with conditions such as sleep disturbances and learning difficulties.