Effects of Environmental Factors on Incidence of Allergic Rhinitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Comparative Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations of air pollutants and meteorological factors with outpatient visits for allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in Southern China. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective time-series study. SETTING: Two representative tertiary hospitals in Guangzhou, China, from 2014 to 2019. METHODS: Daily outpatient visits for AR and CRS, along with air pollutant concentrations and meteorological data, were analyzed using quasi-Poisson generalized additive models and distributed lag nonlinear models with quasi-Poisson distribution. RESULTS: , PM₁₀, and CO were linked to elevated CRS visits. AR patients were sensitive to cold, wet, and dry effects, with RRs of 1.52 (1.09-2.10), 1.20 (1.03-1.40), and 2.55 (1.71-3.79), respectively. CRS patients were more susceptible to air pollutants, whereas AR patients were more affected by meteorological conditions. CONCLUSION: Air pollutants and meteorological factors significantly influence the incidence of AR and CRS in Southern China, with distinct susceptibility patterns between the 2 diseases.