Allergic rhinitis – the silent thief of life Review article
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Abstract
Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects approximately 9 million individuals in Poland. Metaanalyses indicate that patients with AR have a significantly higher risk of anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to the general population. AR is associated with sleep disturbances, depressed mood, chronic fatigue, suicidal ideation, and problem with concentration. Recently, the issue of sexual dysfunction in AR patients has also been raised. Patients with AR and comorbid psychiatric disorders demonstrate poorer adherence, and distinguishing between primary depression and depression secondary to AR is a diagnostic challenge. An interdisciplinary approach is recommended; however, when psychiatric disorders are secondary to AR, the treatment of AR should be prioritized. Psychiatric disorders in AR patients are well-documented both clinically and epidemiologically. In clinical practice, clinicians should inquire about sleep and sexual function – domains often neglected in standard history-taking. Effective AR treatment reduces the risk of psychiatric disorders and improves patients’ quality of life.
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Copyright: ? Medical Education sp. z o.o. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.
Address reprint requests to: Medical Education, Marcin Kuźma (marcin.kuzma@mededu.pl)
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