Allergic rhinitis: Direct and indirect costs

Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common conditions affecting both children and adults. Along with the burden of the disease and decrease in quality of life associated with allergic rhinitis, there are high costs related to the disorder. Costs due to allergic rhinitis can be divided into two categories: direct costs that are related to monies spent on the course of managing the disease and indirect costs that are due to missing work and decreased productivity due to the illness. There are also the costs associated with the comorbidities of allergic rhinitis, such as sinusitis and asthma, which are classified as "hidden" direct costs. Management of allergic rhinitis involves allergen avoidance, proper pharmacologic therapies, and allergen immunotherapy. These treatments add to the direct cost of the condition and need to be evaluated to determine their cost-effectiveness in the control of the patient's nasal allergies. This article reviews the latest data on cost issues in allergic rhinitis and information of cost-effectiveness of treatments for this condition.