METHODS: SACRA, ACT (Asthma Control Test) and serum IgE RAST were performed in asthmatic patients. The correlation between SACRA and other parameters were analyzed.
RESULTS: Four hundred twenty asthmatic patients were enrolled. Among 168 subjects who self-reported no concomitant AR, 76 asthmatics scored one or more symptoms on SACRA. Eventually, 32 of these 76 subjects were diagnosed with AR by physicians based on laboratory data or physical examinations by ear, nose and throat specialists. The sensitivity and specificity of SACRA for the diagnosis of AR were 92% and 66%, respectively. The estimated prevalence of AR among asthmatics was 66%, almost identical to that of the previous nationwide study in Japan. The level of asthma control assessed by the VAS on SACRA and the ACT score showed a strong correlation (r = -0.700, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: SACRA may be a clinically useful tool for identifying bronchial asthma patients with AR.