Skin prick test reactivity in allergic rhinitis patients to airborne pollens

The effect of biological (pollen) and chemical air pollutants on respiratory hospital admissions for the Szeged region in Southern Hungary is analysed. A 9-year (1999-2007) database includes--besides daily number of respiratory hospital admissions--daily mean concentrations of CO, PM10, NO, NO2, O3 and SO2. Two pollen variables (Ambrosia and total pollen excluding Ambrosia) are also included. The analysis was performed for patients with chronic respiratory complaints (allergic rhinitis or asthma bronchiale) for two age categories (adults and the elderly) of males and females. Factor analysis was performed to clarify the relative importance of the pollutant variables affecting respiratory complaints. Using selected low and high quantiles corresponding to probability distributions of respiratory hospital admissions, averages of two data sets of each air pollutant variable were evaluated. Elements of these data sets were chosen according to whether actual daily patient numbers were below or above their quantile value. A nonparametric regression technique was applied to discriminate between extreme and non-extreme numbers of respiratory admissions using pollen and chemical pollutants as explanatory variables. The strongest correlations between extreme patient numbers and pollutants can be observed during the pollen season of Ambrosia, while the pollen-free period exhibits the weakest relationships. The elderly group with asthma bronchiale is characterised by lower correlations between extreme patient numbers and pollutants compared to adults and allergic rhinitis, respectively. The ratio of the number of correct decisions on the exceedance of a quantile resulted in similar conclusions as those obtained by using multiple correlations.

show abstract

“…Similar results can be found e.g. in Carracedo-Martínez et al (2008); Erkara et al (2009) and Zhang et al (2011).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Association of allergic rhinitis or asthma with pollen and chemical pollutants in Szeged, Hungary, 1999–2007

Makra

Matyasovszky

Bálint³

et al. 2013

Int J Biometeorol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the period January 14 -July 14, total pollen excluding Ambrosia pollen indicates very low weights for each category involving an indifferent role in severe asthma attacks (Table 2c). Results received for the period July 15 -October 16 (Table 2a) indicating significant positive associations between pollen levels and the patient numbers, are similar to those found [77,81,82].…”

Section: Season Ofsupporting

confidence: 78%

Risk Factors for Asthma Hospitalization among Adults and Elderly

Makra¹

2015

Arch Otolaryngol Rhinold

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Joint effect of biological (pollen) and chemical air pollutants on asthma emergency room (ER) visits was analyzed for Szeged region of Southern Hungary. Our database of a nine-year period (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007) includes daily number of asthma emergency room (ER) visits, and daily mean concentrations of CO, PM 10 , NO, NO 2 , O 3 and SO 2 , furthermore two pollen variables (Ambrosia and total pollen excluding Ambrosia), as well. The analysis was performed for ER visits of asthma bronchiale using two age groups (adults and the elderly) of males and females for three seasons. Factor analysis was performed in order to clarify the relative importance of the pollutant variables affecting asthma ER visits. Asthma ER visits denote notably stronger associations with the pollutants in adult male than in adult female patients both for the pollen season of Ambrosia and the pollen-free season. Furthermore, adults are substantially more sensitive to severe asthma attack than the elderly for the season of total pollen excluding Ambrosia pollen. The joint effect of the chemical and pollen variables is the highest for the asthma ER cases in the pollen season of Ambrosia, basically due to the extra impact of the total pollen excluding Ambrosia pollen and partly due to Ambrosia pollen. A nonparametric regression technique was applied to discriminate between events of ER visit -no ER visit using pollen and chemical pollutants as explaining variables. Based on multiple correlations, the strongest relationships between ER visits and pollutants are observed during the pollen-free season. The elderly group with asthma bronchiale is characterized by weaker relationships between ER visits and pollutants compared to adults. Ratio of the number of correct decisions on the events of ER visit -no ER visit is lowest for the season of total pollen excluding Ambrosia pollen. Otherwise, similar conclusions hold as those received by multiple correlations. on aeroallergens. These include impacts on pollen amount, pollen allergen city, pollen season, plant and pollen distribution, and other plant attributes [18][19][20][21][22]. Hence, due to the continually increasing air pollution, respiratory diseases are of major concern worldwide. Air pollution of Hungary is one of the highest in Europe. Around 16,000 annual premature deaths attributable to exposure to ambient PM 10 concentrations are estimated in the country [23,24]. Furthermore, airborne pollen levels are also high. The Carpathian basin, involving Hungary (Figure 1) is considered the most polluted region with airborne ragweed (Ambrosia) pollen in Europe. Ambrosia in Hungary discharges the most pollen of all taxa; the ratio of its pollen release compared to the total pollen release in the late summer period is around 60-71% [25]. Highest counts on peak days in Szeged, Southern Hungary, are about one order of magnitude higher than those in other cities of Europe [26]. The sensitivity of patients to ragweed in Szeged is 83.7% [27]. About 30% of the Hungar...

show abstract

“…However, the negative effect of total rainfall and relative humidity on Quercus pollen concentration in the first year was statistically significant (Table 4). This taxon, reported to have moderate to high allergenic effects, yielded positive results in skin prick tests (Subiza et al, 1995;Potoglu Erkara et al, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%