Symptom Score for Allergic Rhinitis

ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in our study population and the correlation between the Score for Allergic Rhinitis (SFAR) and nasal smear eosinophil count.Study DesignCross-sectional study.SettingEar, nose, and throat clinic, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria; a 450-bed tertiary health facility.SubjectsTwo hundred seventy-five consecutive, consenting patients who presented with nasal symptoms.MethodsInformation on the 8-parameter symptom score was collected using a semistructured questionnaire by interview. Nasal smear slides were air dried, fixed with 95% alcohol, stained using May-Grunwald-Giemsa stain, and examined under a light microscope.ResultsOf the 275 participants seen during the 1-year study, 116 (42.2%) were males. The mean ± SD age was 38.5 ± 16.3 (range, 14-75) years. Eighty-one (29.5%) were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis using a nasal smear eosinophil count. The most common symptom was excessive sneezing, involving 93% of patients with allergic rhi...