Asthma and allergic rhinitis may trigger onset of inflammatory bowel disease

A recent study by Namarik Alenezy and peers paned out to determine whether asthma or allergic rhinitis (AR) increased the risk of  inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosis and found that all aeroallergens are plausible culprits in triggering IBD onset. The details of this study was published in the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Journal.

This retrospective study used the administrative data of Manitoba Health and the population-based University of Manitoba IBD Epidemiology Database. They also included the numbers of prescriptions for asthma drugs and  Allergic Rhinitis drugs used to identify the respective diagnosis. The study also calculated the relative risks (RRs) to assess incidence of IBD when compared with matched controls following asthma and AR diagnoses. The hazard ratios were assessed to determine asthma and AR incidence after IBD diagnosis.

They key findings of this study;

• When compared with controls, ones with asthma or AR diagnoses preceding a diagnosis of IBD had increased cases with a similar outcome by IBD subtypes (Crohn's disease vs ulcerative colitis).
• On the sensitivity analysis, asthma or AR diagnoses were comparable while considering at least 5, 10, 15 or 20 drug prescriptions.
• Persons with IBD were more likely to develop asthma or AR than controls after being diagnosed with IBD initially. 

According to the Authors in conclusion, this study demonstrates that a preexisting diagnosis of asthma or allergic rhinitis is closely associated with an significant increase in the risk of developing IBD subsequently. The findings also reinforce the importance of considering that gastrointestinal complaints in patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis that may possibly reflect a diagnosis of IBD. It also raises the notion that aeroallergens can possibly be the environmental cause(s) of IBD.

For further insight:

Alenezy, N., Nugent, Z., Herman, S., Zaborniak, K., Ramsey, C. D., & Bernstein, C. N. (2022). Aeroallergen-related Diseases Predate the Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Oxford University Press (OUP). https://doi.org/10.1093/ibd/izac184