New - Allergic rhinitis: Guidelines for primary care professionals
GPs have a central role to play in the adequate diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis. Two new guidelines intend to support primary care physicians in their diagnostic and facilitate their assessment of the disease and their medication choices. They were developed in collaboration with health professionals associations, IPCRG and WONCA, and EFA, representing patients.

The guidelines propose practical questionnaires for history taking, which is at the core of diagnosis, including advice on how to differentiate allergic rhinitis from other common diseases such as the common cold and non-allergic rhinitis. Classifications will allow doctors to assess the severity of the disease and the impact on the patients’ quality of life. Primary care professionals will also find a list of ‘red flags’ suggesting that urgent referral is need and a glossary of rhinitis medications.

Primary care: the cornerstone of diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. 
Ryan et al. Allergy 2008, Vol 63, N°8, pp. 981-989

Allergic rhinitis management pocket reference 2008. 
Bousquet et al. Allergy 2008. Vol 63, N°8, pp. 990-996

Why is the link between rhinitis and asthma important?
The majority of asthma patients have rhinitis, and patients with rhinitis have a much higher prevalence of asthma than those who do not have rhinitis. Rhinitis is a risk factor for asthma.  Improvement of allergic rhinitis symptoms can be associated with improvement of asthma symptoms.
GA²LEN campaign 'Does rhinitis lead to asthma?' alerts healthcare professionals and patients of the importance of the link between rhinitis and asthma. 

What Patients should know: Never consider rhinitis as trivial!
The prevalence of allergic rhinitis is increasing to up to 20% in school children and 30% in teenagers. It is important to adequately diagnose and treat allergic rhinitis as this can considerably improve patients’ quality of life and decrease the risk of asthma developing / asthma exacerbations. 
Patient leaflet

The role of Health professionals
Rhinitis and asthma are often treated by different medical disciplines. However, patients’ conditions are significantly improved by considering nose and bronchi diseases together in a “united airways perspective”.   Whether or not the link between rhinitis and asthma is causal, it is important for primary care physicians to recognise rhinitis in asthma patients and similarly asthma in rhinitis patients. In any event, rhinitis should always be treated. 
Brochure for Primary care professionals

The campaign is jointly developed by GA²LEN and EFA, European Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Association.
GA²LEN thanks Phadia and UCB Pharma for their support to the campaign through educational grants.

Publications and guidelines

International recommendations on ARIA - Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma.
ARIA 2008 update (in collaboration with the World Health Organization, GA²LEN and AllerGen), Allergy 2008. Vol. 63 Suppl. 86:8-160.
ARIA Update At-a-Glance Pocket Reference

Does rhinitis lead to asthma?
Paul Van Cauwenberge, Jean-Baptiste Watelet, Thibaut Van Zele, De-Yun Wang, Elina Toskala, Stephen Durham, Wytske Fokkens, Susanne Lau, Benedicte Leynaert, Magnus Wickman, Marianella Salapatas, Peter Burney, Joaquim Mullol and members of GA²LEN workpackages 3.2. and 3.3.
Rhinology 2007, 45, 112-121

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Background information on the campaign