The characteristics of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) including the severity at initial presentation and cost estimates are not established for Turkey. The aim of this study was to document the clinical features and direct cost of subjects with SAR when diagnosed and followed according to international treatment guidelines and to determine the effectiveness of treatment in relation to the regional pollen count in our country. The clinical features of SAR were determined cross-sectionally in 175 patients living in Ankara, Turkey. The direct medical cost analysis obtained by a symptom-medication score method was performed prospectively in a subgroup of patients evaluated at the beginning of the pollen season (n = 37). Airborne Gramineae pollen grains were counted also in the same period. SAR was mild in 12.6% of cases, moderate in 51.4% of cases, and severe in 36% of cases. Regional pollen counts were correlated with the number of patient visits and the initial severity of SAR. Mean cost of SAR per person without a comorbid disorder during a Gramineae pollen season for Ankara was 79.0 +/- 3.3 dollars, where it reached a mean of 138.60 +/- 0.5 dollars in the presence of asthma and/or conjunctivitis. No difference was observed among disease severity groups by means of total direct cost (p > 0.05). Regional pollen counts influence the initial severity of SAR in our country. Appropriate treatment seemed to induce effective symptom control. Hence, education of both public and primary care physicians about the international guidelines might provide better cost-effective management of SAR.
Adult Direct Service Costs