Allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, and asthma: one airway disease

Asthma and allergies, including rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic dermatitis, are common throughout the world, with a high burden of morbidity and cost. The nasal and bronchial mucosa present similarities, and most patients with asthma also have rhinitis, suggesting the concept of "one airway, one disease." Not all patients with rhinitis present with asthma, however, and there are differences between rhinitis and asthma. For this article, the authors differentiate between chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis based on the presence of polyps in the nasal cavity or the sinuses during clinical examination or surgery. This approach neglects an ill-defined group of chronic hyperplastic sinusitis, which might represent a transition phase.