[ARIA--one airway, one disease: what links our research to the concept?].

Abstract

ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) is a public health initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) based on the "one airway, one disease" concept. The trigger for the initiative was a growing evidence (from epidemiology, anatomy, pathophysiology, clinical diagnostics, therapy) of a pandemic increase in the prevalence of allergic disorders of the respiratory tract (allergic rhinitis and asthma), of the deficiency of primary and secondary preventive measures, and of incomplete therapeutic control over these conditions using current management strategies. Evidence gathered so far suggest a strong link between allergic rhinitis and asthma (anatomical and histological features, aetiology, similar pathophysiological mechanisms, related therapeutic results). Therefore, ARIA as a public health initiative aims at uniting the management of these, till now separated disorders. This review discusses the evidence on which the "one airway, one disease" concept and ARIA are based, including a contribution made by scientists from the Institute of Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia.