Management of allergic rhinitis improves clinical outcomes of difficult-to-treat tic disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders

Aims: This case series aimed to evaluate the effects of treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) in AR-diagnosed children with previous diagnosis of tic disorders/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (TD/ADHD) but unresponsive to behavioral or medical treatment.

Materials and methods: Between July 2016 and June 2021, children diagnosed with AR in our hospital were enrolled.

All were diagnosed with TD/ADHD refractory to behavioral or medical treatment.

The demography and clinical information were collected from medical records.

The outcomes were visual analogue scale (VAS) for AR severity, Yale Comprehensive Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) for TD symptoms, and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Screening Scale (SNAP-IV) for ADHD symptoms.

Results: A total of 27 children (18 boys, 9 girls) were included, with a mean age 7.4 ± 2.9 years (3 – 17 years).

They had undergone behavioral or medical treatment of TD/ADHD for 3.6 ± 1.9 years but without significant improvement in TD/ADHD symptoms.

After 2-6 months of systematic treatment for AR, VAS was decreased to 0.4 ± 0.1 from 0.8 ± 0.2, YGTSS to 3.5 ± 0.7 from 6.8 ± 1.4, and SNAP-IV to 0.4 ± 0.1 from 0.6 ± 0.2 (all p < 0.001).

No recurrence of TD/ADHD symptoms was reported during a mean follow-up of 2.4 ± 1.1 years (0.5 – 5 years).

Conclusion: AR treatment improves TD/ADHD outcomes in children with difficult-to-treat TD/ADHD.

In TD/ADHD children who are unresponsive to behavioral or drug treatment and have AR-related symptoms, AR examination and treatment are recommended for better prognosis.