Exposure to grass pollen in Europe

Jaeger, S.

doi:10.1111/j.1472-9733.2008.00125.x

Cited by 26 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Theoretically, the morphology of airborne pollen with a size of 15–55 μm is too large to reach the lower respiratory pathways,30 so the allergens should be inhaled in the form of smaller particles. The existence of allergens in particles of a respirable size (≤5 μm)30 has been known since the 1980s, although their origin is not completely clear. They probably reach the lower respiratory pathways by a combination of mechanisms including the physical breakdown of pollen in the environment; rupture of the pollen with cytoplasmic release of starch granules caused by rain; Ubisch bodies (small particles with a diameter of 0.02 μm which can contain allergens); and formation of aerosols containing allergens which are bound and carried by ultrafine particles (eg, particles from the emission of diesel engines) 31.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association between airborne pollen and epidemic asthma in Madrid, Spain: a case-control study

Galán

Prieto

Rubio

et al. 2010

Thorax

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Background Despite the fact that airborne pollen is an important factor in precipitating asthma attacks, its implication in increases of epidemic asthma in usual meteorological conditions has not been reported. A study was undertaken to estimate the relationship between various types of aeroallergens and seasonal epidemic asthma in the region of Madrid, Spain. Methods A caseecontrol study was carried out in individuals aged 4e79 years who received emergency healthcare for asthma during 2001 in a base hospital covering a population of 750 000 inhabitants of Madrid. A skin prick test was performed with grass pollen, plantain pollen, olive pollen, cypress pollen, plane tree pollen, dust mites and Alternaria and the prevalence of skin reactivity was compared between subjects with asthma requiring emergency care for asthma within (cases) and outside (controls) the seasonal epidemic period. Data were analysed using logistic regression adjusting for age and sex. Results The response rate was 61.7% for cases (n¼95) and 51.6% for controls (n¼146). The OR of sensitisation to grass pollen for cases compared with controls was 9.9 (95% CI 4.5 to 21.5); plantain pollen: 4.5 (95% CI 2.5 to 8.2); olive pollen: 7.3 (95% CI 3.5 to 15.2); plane tree pollen: 3.6 (95% CI 2.0 to 6.4); cypress pollen: 3.5 (95% CI 2.0 to 6.2); dust mites: 1.1 (95% CI 0.6 to 1.9); Alternaria: 0.9 (95% CI 0.5 to 1.9). The association with grasses was maintained after adjusting simultaneously for the remaining aeroallergens (OR 5.0 (95% CI 1.5 to 16.4)); this was the only one that retained statistical significance (p¼0.007). Conclusions These results suggest that allergy to pollen, particularly grass pollen, is associated with the epidemic increase in asthma episodes during the months of May and June in the Madrid area of Spain.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association between airborne pollen and epidemic asthma in Madrid, Spain: a case-control study

Galán

Prieto

Rubio

et al. 2010

Thorax

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“…From the health point of view, they have great importance because they produce allergenic pollen. In Europe, grass pollen is the main cause of pollinosis (Weeke and Spieksma 1991;Jäger 2008), causing symptoms in over 80% of pollenallergy sufferers (D'Amato et al 2007). Subiza et al (2007) give percentages of positive skin tests in 12 Spanish cities of between 48 and 97% among patients allergic to pollen, with 94% in Madrid and 75% in Toledo.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poaceae pollen in the atmosphere of Aranjuez, Madrid and Toledo (central Spain)

et al. 2010

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The main aim of this work is to study the aerobiological behaviour of Poaceae pollen in three areas of central Spain (Aranjuez, Madrid and Toledo), all of which are similar from a geographical, climatic and biogeographical point of view, and they are located nearby one another. The samplings were carried out over a period of 4 years (2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) using Hirst-type spore traps. Grass pollen is responsible for most spring allergic reactions in the pollensensitive population in central Spain, and they are very abundant in the atmosphere of this part of Iberian Peninsula. The average amount of this pollen type, as a percentage of the annual total pollen amount, is 7.4% in Aranjuez, 9.2% in Madrid and 11.3% in Toledo. Poaceae pollen is present in the atmosphere over a long period of time (FebruaryOctober), and its maximum concentrations are detected during May and June (weeks 16-25). The city of Toledo has the highest annual concentrations of grass pollen (average 5,797 grains) with a great number of days exceeding the allergy thresholds proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network (REA). Madrid and Aranjuez present similar annual concentrations of grass pollen with values of 2,961 grains and 2,751 grains, respectively. The correlation analysis between the daily levels of grass pollen and meteorological variables of temperature and rainfall show a significant correlation, positive with temperature (maximum, mean and minimum) and negative with rainfall.

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“…The pollen season tends to vary from year to year because of fluctuations in climatic factors, but the maximum atmospheric concentration of grass pollen usually occurs 1 to 2 months after the start of the main flowering season. 4,5 The current study assessed the efficacy and onset of action of 5-grass-pollen tablets under controlled conditions provided by an allergen challenge chamber (ACC; also known as an environmental exposure unit) to overcome these variations. An ACC is a specially designed room used to expose study participants to a fixed, predetermined allergen concentration for a set period of time.…”

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confidence: 99%