ObjectiveTo explore the association between the allergic inflammation of upper and lower respiratory tracts via comparing the inflammatory indices in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and normal healthy adults as well as those of the upper and lower respiratory tracts in AR patients.MethodsAll subjects enrolled in the study were categorized into two groups, AR group (53 cases) and normal control group (53 cases) according to their clinical symptoms and signs as well as allergen skin prick test results. To all of them, blood routine examination, allergen skin prick test, differential cytology tests of nasal lavage fluid and induced sputum, histamine nasal provocation test, and methacholine bronchial provocation test were performed. All the results were collected and analyzed statistically to evaluate the association between allergic inflammation of upper and lower respiratory tracts in AR patients.Results① Ratios of eosinophil in nasal lavage fluid ［(8.12±6.76)%］and induced sputum ［(3.91±2.75)%］of AR group were higher than those of the normal control group ［(0.72±0.70)%, (1.33±1.06)%, respectively］, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). ② The positive rates of histamine nasal provocation test（73.6%, 39/53） and methacholine bronchial provocation test（24.5%, 13/53）of AR group were much higher than those of the normal control group (37.7%, 1.89%, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.01).③ In the AR group, the ratios of eosinophil in nasal lavage fluid and induced sputum were closely correlated to those in peripheral blood(both P<0.05).④The positive rate of histamine nasal provocation test had no correlation with that of methacholine bronchial provocation test in the AR group（r=0.143，P=0.308). ⑤In the allergic rhinitis group, the ratios of eosinophil in nasal lavage fluid, and induced sputum were closely correlated to that in peripheral blood (P<0.05).ConclusionWith consistency in allergic inflammation between nose and lower airway, their inflammation degrees in AR patients are more serious than those in normal healthy adults. Furthermore, ratios of eosinophil in nose and lower respiratory tract as well as peripheral blood are strongly correlated with each other. Therefore, AR is considered as an allergic disease with coexistence of local and systemic inflammation.