Articles Published May 28, 2026

Association Between Absolute Eosinophil Count And Severity Of Allergic Rhinitis Among Asthma Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

IJMHR Volume-3 Issue-3 May-2026 Pages 1-10 DOI
Authors & affiliations
D
Dr Sudin Kosh Professor & HOD, Department of Respiratory Medicine, SUT Academy of medical science Trivandrum, Kerala, India
D
Dr Shameem N Professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine, SUT Academy of medical science Trivandrum, Kerala, India
D
Dr Archa AH Research Scholar, Department of Respiratory Medicine, SUT Academy of medical science Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Article overview

Abstract

Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis are common chronic inflammatory airway diseases that frequently coexist. Eosinophilic inflammation is an important feature in both diseases, and Absolute Eosinophil Count (AEC) may correlate with severity of allergic rhinitis.

To study the association between Absolute Eosinophil Count and severity of allergic rhinitis among asthma patients.

A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 68 patients diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and asthma who attended the Department of Pulmonary Medicine. The severity of allergic rhinitis was classified according to the ARIA guidelines into four categories: mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate-severe intermittent, and moderate-severe persistent. Absolute eosinophil count (AEC) was recorded for all patients and compared with the severity of allergic rhinitis using a cutoff value of 300 cells/µL.

Among the 68 asthma patients with allergic rhinitis, moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis was the most common ARIA category accounting for 30.8%, followed by mild persistent allergic rhinitis (29.4%). Female patients constituted 75% of the study population, while males accounted for 25%. The majority of patients belonged to the age group above 50 years (33.8%), followed by the 21–30 years age group (25%). Elevated Absolute Eosinophil Count (AEC ≥300 cells/µL) was more commonly associated with persistent forms of allergic rhinitis. Among patients with elevated eosinophil counts, mild persistent allergic rhinitis constituted 35%, followed by moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis (27.5%).

Absolute eosinophil count demonstrated a positive association with allergic rhinitis severity among asthma patients and may serve as a simple and economical inflammatory marker in routine clinical practice.