Combinations of allergic diseases worsen future cardiovascular outcomes

Published online: September 19, 2020

Allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and asthma often occur together and share a common mechanism. Each of these chronic allergic diseases is known to increase future cardiovascular risk. However, the impact of 2 or more allergic diseases on death and myocardial infarction (MI) risks is not known.

A study by Rhee and colleagues published in a recent issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is the first to examine the effects of various combinations of the allergic triad on the future risk of death and MI. They analyzed large-scale epidemiologic data from a nationwide health check-up conducted for nearly 10 million adults in South Korea.

During the long-term follow-up over 8 years, adults with 2 or more allergic diseases had significantly higher risks of death and MI than the control group. Among the combinations of allergic diseases, future risks of death (71% higher adjusted risk than the control group) and MI (57% higher adjusted risk than the control group) were the highest in the asthma-plus-atopic dermatitis group. The risk of death and MI were particularly pronounced in older individuals, men, smokers, and underweight/normal weight groups.

The results of this study suggest that prompt screening for other allergic conditions is important in patients with allergic disease, with a need for evaluation and appropriate intervention to reduce future cardiovascular risk.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is an official journal of the AAAAI, focusing on practical information for the practicing clinician.

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