Meteorological and environmental factors that impact pollen counts, allergenicity, and thresholds: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: Pollen is a key source of aeroallergens responsible for allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma. Objective: The goal of this scoping review was to summarize current available literature on the factors that affect pollen counts, allergenicity, and thresholds that induce symptoms in individuals who were sensitized. Methods: Several databases showed no published articles with a similar scope as of January 2022. A search of these data bases yielded 373 articles for assessment. These were then reviewed for relevance, and articles were selected to demonstrate the breadth of available data on pollen counts, allergenicity, and thresholds that induce symptoms in individuals who were sensitized. Additional articles were identified through examination of bibliographies of search-identified articles. Results: Several environmental factors have shown a correlation with pollen counts and allergen load, including the distance from the source, wind characteristics, pollen size, terrain, urban environments, air composition (particulate matter, CO2 levels, ozone, NO2), and weather conditions (humidity, thunderstorms, precipitation). Pollen thresholds at which symptoms were induced varied by study, pollen type, symptom, disease, and location. In addition, there was heterogeneity in study designs, threshold definition, and outcome measures. Conclusion: This scoping review demonstrates the plethora of variables that influence the relationship between pollen and the symptoms of allergic diseases. Analysis of the available data sheds light on the complex interaction between environmental and biologic factors that affect pollen's role in allergic diseases and provides guidance on multiple areas for further investigation.

Study of the Interrelations of the Concentrations of Six Tree Pollen Types and Six Atmospheric Pollutants with Rhinitis and Allergic Conjunctivitis in the Community of Madrid

“…An analysis of meteorological parameters should also be carried out, together with the variables included in this work, since they have an essential influence on pollination and act synergistically on pollen grains and all types of aerobiological particles and pollutants in the atmosphere [9,34]. The annual variation in the models fitted for each season in this study indicates the possible influence of time-varying meteorological parameters.…”

Long term respiratory morbidity of cesarean‐delivered second twin compared to their vaginally‐delivered sibling: A retrospective population‐based cohort study

“…[31][32][33] Pulmonary diseases, including bronchial asthma, exhibit complex and multifactorial etiologies. Research has highlighted the interplay of genetic predisposition, 34 familial trends, [35][36][37][38] environmental influences, [39][40][41] and the emerging field of omics, which encompasses proteomics, genomics, and microbiomes. [42][43][44] The multifactorial nature of the disease makes it challenging to isolate and study a single factor in isolation.…”