Asthma, Hay Fever Up Risk of Depression, Anxiety

Link between common allergies and the overall risk of developing psychiatric disorders has been discovered by scientists. The findings suggested that almost 11 per cent of patients with common allergic diseases developed a psychiatric disorder within a 15-year period, compared to only 6.7 per cent of those without -- a 1.66-fold increased risk.

"Asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and atopic dermatitis (eczema), are among some of the most common allergic diseases and are nicknamed the three 'A's," said lead author Nian-Sheng Tzeng from the Tri-Service General Hospital in Taiwan.

The new research suggests that inflammation is linked to psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders.

As allergies also involve inflammation, it is possible that it may contribute to psychiatric disorders in the same patients. The psychological stress of a psychiatric disorder might also contribute to physical symptoms.

For the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, the researchers identified 46,647 people in the database with allergic diseases and 139,941 without.

The team discovered that using certain asthma medications was associated with a lower risk of psychiatric disorders in asthma patients.

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Source-IANS