Although AR and ARC are sometimes perceived as trivial conditions, this review indicates that their effect on adolescent life is negative and far-reaching. It is critical that clinicians gain a greater understanding of the unique burden of AR and ARC in adolescents to ensure they receive prompt and appropriate care and treatment to improve clinical and academic outcomes.

This meta-analysis compared the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or allergic asthma (AA) caused by perennial house dust mite (HDM) versus AR and/or AA caused by seasonal pollen allergy. Following a systematic search, the identified studies used the disease-specific rhinitis quality of life questionnaire or generic instruments (SF-36 and SF-12). Summary estimates obtained by meta-analysis showed that HRQL in patients with perennial HDM allergy was significantly worse than that of patients with seasonal pollen allergy, when measured by both disease-specific and generic HRQL instruments, and was reflected by an impact on both physical and mental health. A systematic review of cost data on AR and AA in selected European countries demonstrated that the majority of the economic burden was indirectly caused by high levels of absenteeism and presenteeism; there was little or no evidence of increasing or decreasing cost trends. Increased awareness of the detrimental effects of AR and/or AA on patients’ HRQL and its considerable cost burden might encourage early diagnosis and treatment, in order to minimize the disease burden and ensure beneficial and cost-effective outcomes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12948-016-0049-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundBased on the 24-week, prospective, non-interventional, observational study, A1chieve®, we investigated how health-related quality of life (HRQoL) changed, and the predictors of such changes, in Chinese people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after starting with, or switching to, biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30).MethodsIn total, 8,578 people with T2DM starting treatment with, or switching to, BIAsp 30 were recruited from 130 urban hospitals in China. HRQoL was assessed at baseline and 24 weeks using the EuroQol-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and chi-square test were conducted and the linear ordinary least squares regression model was used to determine predictors for changes in EQ-5D score.ResultsHaemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) decreased from 9.5% to 7.0% after 24 weeks. The reported HRQoL measured by the EQ-5D visual analogue scale score increased by 6.2 (p < 0.001) from 75.8 to 82.0, and EQ-5D index score increased by 0.018 (p < 0.001) from 0.875 to 0.893 for the cohort over 24 weeks. The percentage of patients reporting no problems in the mobility, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression dimensions of EQ-5D increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 88.4% to 91.4%, 77.3% to 82.8%, and 74.2% to 77.1%, respectively. Patients with higher HbA1c levels at baseline, major hypoglycaemia or micro-complications exhibited significantly larger changes in EQ-5D scores than those with lower baseline HbA1c levels, without major hypoglycaemia or micro-complications after controlling for demographics and other baseline characteristics.ConclusionsBIAsp 30 treatment was associated with improved glycaemic control and HRQoL in T2DM patients in China. Patients with worse health conditions were more likely to experience larger improvements in HRQoL than those with better health conditions.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00869908.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12955-014-0137-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Switching from treatment with BHI, IGlar, or NPH to BIAsp 30 (all ± OGLDs) was found to be cost-effective in India, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, both in the long and short term.

Starting BIAsp 30 in people with type 2 diabetes in the A(1)chieve study was found to be cost-effective across all country settings at 1- and 30-year time horizons, and usefully increased predicted life expectancy.