Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.  2017 Dec;10(4):332-337. 10.21053/ceo.2017.00143.

A Survey of Korean Physicians’ Prescription Patterns for Allergic Rhinitis

• Seo MY
• Kim DK
• Jee HM
• Ahn YM
• Kim YM
• Hong SD
• Work Group for Allergic Rhinitis of the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology (KAAACI)

• KMID: 2396788
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21053/ceo.2017.00143

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to compare the prescription patterns according to characteristics of physicians using a survey distributed amongst physicians in Korea.
METHODS
We surveyed the prescription patterns for allergic rhinitis (AR) of the members of the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology (KAAACI) and the Korean Association of Otorhinolaryngologists (KAO). Questionnaire contained 4 categories with 28 queries. 448 physicians including 98 internal medicine (IM), 113 pediatrics (PED), and 237 otorhinolaryngology (ENT) were responded.
RESULTS
Although the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines are most frequently used in all specialties, seasonal or perennial AR is the most frequent classification system. For the definitive diagnosis of AR, ENT physicians reported using multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST)/radio allergy sorbent test (RAST) more than others (IM, 10.9%; PED, 20.6%; ENT, 44.2%; P < 0.001). In treatment, most physicians reported that antihistamine medication is the initial treatment for AR. PED physicians prescribed fewer intranasal steroid to combinations with an antihistamine than other specialists (IM, 65.3%; PED, 42.5%; ENT, 63.3%), but preferred leukotriene antagonists (IM, 4.1%; PED, 23.0%; ENT, 3.9%; P=0.041). Overall, 53% (235/448) of the physicians performed allergen immunotherapy (AIT), and IM administers the most AIT (IM, 71.6%; PED, 42.0%; ENT, 39.5%; P=0.019). Furthermore, university and general hospital physicians prescribed more AIT than doctors at other hospital types (university hospital, 76.4%; general hospital, 64.3%; local hospital, 21.4%; private clinic, 20.2%; P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
The prescription patterns for AR were different according to the physicians' characteristics and general rate of prescribing AIT is just about 53% in Korea. Thus, the development of complementary Korean-specific guidelines is needed and proper clinical instruction of AIT would be necessary.

Keyword

Allergic Rhinitis; Drug Prescriptions; Surveys and Questionnaires

MeSH Terms

Allergy and Immunology
Asthma
Classification
Desensitization, Immunologic
Diagnosis
Drug Prescriptions
Hospitals, General
Hypersensitivity
Internal Medicine
Korea
Leukotriene Antagonists
Otolaryngology
Pediatrics
Prescriptions*
Rhinitis, Allergic*
Seasons
Specialization
Surveys and Questionnaires
Leukotriene Antagonists

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Prescription patterns for the definitive diagnosis of allergic rhinitis according to physician specialty. The number in the bar graph indicates the number of patients in each category. IM, internal medicine; PED, pediatrics; ENT, otorhinolaryngology; SPT, skin prick test; MAST, multiple allergen simultaneous test; RAST, radio allergy sorbent test. Statistical analysis is chi-square test with multinomial regression.

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