Association between short-term pollen exposure and blood pressure in adults: A repeated-measures study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have related high pollen concentrations to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, yet very little research concerns pre-clinical cardiovascular health, including effects on blood pressure (BP). The EPOCHAL panel study investigated the exposure-response relationship between ambient pollen exposure and systolic and diastolic BP in adults. METHODS: BP was measured in 302 adults with and in 94 without pollen allergy during the pollen season, on approximately 16 days per person (6253 observations). Average individually-relevant pollen exposure in the 96 h prior to each BP measurement was calculated by summing up the averages of all ambient pollen concentrations to which the individual was found to be sensitized in a skin prick test, and which originated from seven highly allergenic pollen types (hazel, alder, birch, ash, grasses, mugwort and ragweed). Generalized additive mixed models were used to study the association between mean individually-relevant pollen exposure in the last 96 h and BP, adjusting for individual and environmental time-varying covariates. Effect modification by pollen allergy status, sex and BMI was evaluated. RESULTS: Positive non-linear associations between individually-relevant pollen exposure and both systolic and diastolic BP were found in the allergic but not in the non-allergic group. BP increased sharply for exposures from zero to 60/80 pollen/m3 (diastolic/systolic BP), followed by a tempered further increase at higher concentrations. Increases of 2.00 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80-3.19] in systolic and 1.51 mmHg [95% CI: 0.58-2.45] in diastolic BP were associated with 96-h average pollen exposure of 400 pollen/m3, compared to no exposure. Obesity and female sex were associated with larger BP increases. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that short-term pollen concentration is associated with increased systolic and diastolic BP in persons with pollen allergy strengthens the evidence that pollen may cause systemic health effects and trigger cardiovascular events.

High aerospora levels and associated atmospheric circulation patterns: Pretoria, South Africa.

At high exposure levels, airborne pollen grains and fungal spores (termed aerospora hereafter), can trigger severe allergic respiratory diseases. For South Africa's administrative capital Pretoria, which boasts dense vegetation within a large urban forest, it is valuable from a health perspective to understand daily atmospheric circulation patterns associated with high aerospora levels. Therefore, we utilised a daily aerospora grain count dataset collected in Pretoria from 08/2019-02/2023 to investigate atmospheric circulation patterns (derived from ERA5 reanalysis sea level pressure [SLP] and 500 hPa geopotential height [zg500] fields) associated with high-risk aerospora levels (aerospora grain count > 90th percentile). Concentrated during October-May, there were 128 high-risk days, with 69.6% of days occurring in November, February and April. Although generally above-average mid-tropospheric subsidence levels prevailed over Pretoria during high-risk days, no single distinct atmospheric circulation pattern was associated with these high-risk days. Therefore, using Principal Component Analysis, we classified 14 Circulation Weather Types (CWTs) for October-May months between 08/2019-02/2023 to assess which CWTs most frequently occurred during high-risk days. Three CWTs had a statistically significant proportion of high-risk days - collectively they occurred during 37.1% of days studied, yet accounted for 45.3% of high-risk days. Among these CWTs, two CWTs were similarly associated with surface and mid-tropospheric high-pressure conditions, while the third was associated with a surface and mid-tropospheric trough. By comparing our CWT classification to daily synoptic charts (from the South African Weather Service), our classification can be used to identify days with potentially high allergenicity risk over Pretoria.

Determination of potentially toxic metals and natural radionuclides in airborne pollens produced different urban environments in Turkey and health risk assessment.

Air pollutants are associated with potentially toxic metals (PTMs) and natural and/or artificial radionuclides, which can pose a major threat to human and environmental health. Pollens can be utilized as a bioindicator to determine the level of air pollution in urban areas. In this study, the concentrations of PTMs and natural radionuclides in 35 airborne pollen samples of 22 species belonging to Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Araucariaceae, Betulaceae, Salicaceae, and Oleaceae families grown in different urban areas in Turkey were determined using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. For the first time, non-carcinogenic and radiologic health risk assessments for adults were done, estimating hazard index (HI) and annual effective dose (AED), respectively. The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Ti, Sr, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, V and Pb analyzed in airborne pollen samples varied from 52.1 to 3078.0, 26.1 to 159.6, 15.6 to 199.7, 9.1 to 282.2, 1.0 to 128.4, 5.0 to 40.1, 5.4 to 23.6,

Persistence of airborne tree pollen from the Cupressaceae family during the last decade in the city of Bahia Blanca.

Airborne pollen is a major contributor to allergic respiratory diseases. However, the literature on patterns and seasonality of specific pollen types mainly comes from northern hemisphere and developed regions, limiting our ability to extrapolate these findings to other geographical locations. With this research letter, our aim is to contribute to the current knowledge of aerobiology by analyzing the decade-long patterns of airborne tree pollen in the city of Bahia Blanca, Argentina. In general, we found late winter to early spring as the period with the highest Cupressaceae pollen counts. In 2020, the average pollen count during July through September was 78.81 (SD 79.70), the highest recorded during the last 10 years. These months had varying pollen concentrations from moderate (15-89 grains/m3 of air) to high (90-1499 grains/m3 of air). Regardless of such variation, August had consistently been the month with the highest peak concentrations from 2010 to 2020 (61.2, SD 57.3), followed by September (27.1, SD 20.3). We did not find any month with very high (˃1500 grains/m3 of air) peak concentration. Further studies need to be done to expand our knowledge on aerobiology to characterize specific pollen sub-types and determine the exact allergenic potential of airborne pollen in different regions.

Assessing pollinosis risk in the Vesuvius National Park: A novel approach for Index of Urban Green Zones Allergenicity.

Pollen released by urban flora is the mayor contributor to airborne allergen content, with adverse impact on human health, representing one of the main ecosystems disservices. The Vesuvius National Park (Southern Italy) develops on an area of 8017 ha, falling within thirteen municipalities, in which 345,000 people live. Pollination events in the park may pose a threat to the health of people damaging their well-being. The objective of this work is to establish the potential allergenic value of the plant species occurring in the Vesuvius National Park, so that the allergenicity of the park can be estimated through version novel approach for Index of Urban Green Zones Allergenicity (modIUGZA). It allows the determination of allergenicity of extended areas, by using sampling area and subsequent estimation of plant covers with Braun-Blanquet scale. Sampling areas have been defined and phytosociological surveys have been conducted to register plant species, relative covers and allergenicity potential. As a weighting factor, the surfaces of the park total area, and municipalities' areas were used. First, we obtained the results by the traditional deterministic approach. The results indicated that an allergic risk cannot be excluded for Ottaviano municipality and the whole park. Subsequently, we developed a quantitative risk assessment model for allergenic risk based on probabilistic model resulting in a more exhaustive risk assessment. There is a 5% probability that in the Vesuvius National Park, the vegetation may rise to an allergenic risk. The municipality-level probabilistic risk outcomes also reveal a certain probability of risk even for eleven municipalities. Sensitivity analysis indicate that plant height and vegetation cover mainly affect expected risk. This tool may be useful to forecast and prevent pollinosis related events on a large scale, allowing risk mitigation measure in health protection perspective.

Medium- and long-range transport events of Alnus pollen in western Mediterranean.

Alnus pollen has been frequently detected in the atmosphere of different airborne sampling sites of Southern Spain. However, Alnus sp. populations are very scarce and fragmented in the area, being restricted to a few river valleys in the southwest, and other further away regions of the Iberian Peninsula. This leads to think that the airborne pollen detected could be mainly the result of a medium- or long-distant transport. So, the aim of this study was to characterize the annual patterns of airborne Alnus pollen detected at three different locations of Malaga province, as well as to determine its possible origin, the pollen dispersion potential of these Alnus isolated populations, and their possible reproductive connectivity. Pollen sampling was conducted by means of three Hirst-type volumetric pollen traps. Samples were mounted and counted following the recommendations of the Spanish Aerobiology Network and the European Aeroallergen Society. The possible pollen sources were detected by means of a combination of meteorological information and backward air trajectories analysis. A high inter-annual variability in the annual pollen integrals was found in all the stations, favouring certain meteorological conditions a long-range transport and, therefore, causing the high concentrations detected in some specific days. Alnus pollen seems to have a heterogeneous origin with prevalence of the long-distant transport, which would suggest a possible reproductive connection among distant populations.

Identification of airborne pollen allergens from two avenue trees of India.

An attempt has been made to detect airborne pollen of Lagerstroemia speciosa (LS) and Spathodea campanulata (SC) - two common avenue trees of India as potential sources of aeroallergens and also to identify the major IgE-reactive components present in them. The airborne pollen concentration was assessed using a Burkard sampler. A detailed questionnaire on clinical data of 1490 patients was recorded based on hospital data. We assessed the allergenicity of pollen by in vivo and in vitro tests. The correlation among meteorological factors, pollen seasons and allergenic potency of patients was assessed by multiple regression analysis. The sensitivity of patients to pollen antigens was highly correlated with pollen seasons. In SDS-PAGE, 15 protein bands were detected from LS pollen, while 14 bands from SC. The IgE-specific immunoblotting with patients' sera allergic to LS displayed five major allergens, while four major allergens were detected from SC. This would be the first report from India to prove the allergenic potentiality of airborne pollen of these two common avenue trees of India.

Aeroallergens in North-Central Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Aeroallergens are airborne organic substances which are responsible for allergenic diseases in hypersensitive individuals. People are exposed to their allergens either directly or after their entrance into the interiors. The spatio-temporal pattern of aeroallergens and their relationship with weather variability in Abuja and Nassarawa, North-Central Nigeria was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Aerosamples were trapped with modified Tauber-like pollen traps. Samples were collected monthly and centrifuged at 2500rpm for 5 min and subjected to acetolysis. Meteorological data were collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Aeroallergens concentration were unequivocally regulated by weather variables in both locations, indicating the possible use of aeroallergens especially pollen and spores as bio-indicators of weather variations and change. Aeroallergens encountered were fungal spores, pollen, diatom frustules, fern spores, algal cyst/cells in decreasing order of dominance. Among pollen group, Poaceae, Amarathaceae/Chenopodiaceae and Hymenocardia acida dominated. Spores of Smut species, Puccinia, Curvularia and Nigrospora were major contributors among aeromycoflora. Fungal spores morphotype dominated during the rainier months and were major contributors of the aeroallergen spectrum with those belonging to Deuteromycete preponderant. Aeroallergens which were previously identified as triggers of conjunctivitis, asthma, allergic sinusitis and bronchopulmonary allergic diseases were frequently present in both locations. Pollen prevailed more during the harmattan, influenced by northeast trade wind. Pollen component differed and was based on autochthonous source plants, indicating difference in sub-vegetational types.

Modern pollen distribution in the northeastern Indian Ocean and its significance.

In order to provide a reference for reconstructing the paleoclimate of the northeastern Indian Ocean, 36 airborne pollen samples were analyzed using methods for airborne pollen, and 26 surface water samples were analyzed using a lab method for surface water. We found that little pollen is airborne over the Indian Ocean in spring, but airborne pollen types and concentrations can help to deduce paleomonsoon strength and direction. The conclusions included the following: (1) Pollen in the sediment was transported mainly via ocean currents instead of the early summer or spring wind. (2) Airborne pollen types and concentrations are proportional to the wind speed and inversely proportional to the pollen distance transported and depend on whether the wind is from the land or from the sea. If the wind is from the land, the pollen concentration is proportional to the angle between the wind direction and the coastline. (3) The pollen concentration in the sample collected from a water depth of 30-45 m is higher than in the samples collected from a depth of 5 m. The pollen concentration and salinity are higher in the equatorial area than in the Northern Hemisphere.

Atmospheric pollen spectrum in Stone City, Mardin; the northern border of Mesopotamia/SE-Turkey.

Airborne pollen distribution in Mardin city was measured volumetrically during three consecutive years, 2014-2016. Three thousand eight hundred fifty-seven pollen grains as a mean value belonging to 44 taxa were recorded annually during the study period, and pollen grains from woody plant taxa had the more substantial atmospheric contribution with 62.66% and with 23 taxa. Despite the differences between years, the highest pollen concentration was recorded in April. The main pollen producers of the pollen spectrum were Cupressaceae (27.79%), Poaceae (21.21%), Platanus (10.29%), Morus (6.19%), Olea europaea (5.01%), Quercus (4.91%), Pinus (3.84%), and Amaranthaceae (3.73%) and almost all dominant pollen types in the city atmosphere were previously stated to be allergic. The atmospheric sampling data was characterized by the high presence of woody plants in spring, as well as the high presentation of herbaceous plants in late spring to early winter. The main pollen season (MPS) and durations of dominated pollen types were analyzed and mostly found a little bit earlier or parallel with similar studies in Mediterranean basin, but found earlier than the east. Statistical analyses were performed to compare years with each other and for correlating daily pollen concentrations of dominated pollen types concurrent with the data of meteorological parameters; a number of significant correlations were found.

[POLLEN FOOD ALLERGY SYNDROME IN A FIVE-YEAR-OLD BOY AFTER MOVING HOUSE AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN: A CASE REPORT].

We report the case of a boy with a history of atopic dermatitis starting in infancy. At the age of four, his family moved into a newly built house at the foot of a mountain. One year later, he was diagnosed with Japanese Cedar pollinosis. During the same year, in March, he began to experience oral symptoms, hoarseness, and coughing, after eating multiple types of fruits and vegetables, like soybeans, apples, etc. His tests for Bet v1 and the pathogenesis-related protein-10 (PR-10) of the corresponding foods were positive; accordingly, he was diagnosed with Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS). In order to investigate the relationship between pollen and food allergies, we counted the pollen grains dispersed at the patient's house during a period of one year and measured his specific IgE titers for pollen and food allergens every three months. We found a large amount of Japanese cedar, cypress, oak, and various other species of pollen dispersed at the patient's house. All counts were higher than the average pollen counts in the city of Fukuoka. After the seasonal dispersal of oak pollen, the patient's specific IgE antibody titers against Alder, Oak, Bet v1, Gly m4, and PR-10 protein group of fruits increased, although alder pollen was not detected. We thus inferred that the patient had developed PFAS by exposure to a large amount of Fagales species pollen, including oak.

Airborne pollen and suicide mortality in Tokyo, 2001-2011.

Prior research has indicated that pollen might be linked to suicide mortality although the few studies that have been undertaken to date have produced conflicting findings and been limited to Western settings. This study examined the association between the level of airborne pollen and suicide mortality in Tokyo, Japan in the period from 2001 to 2011. The daily number of suicide deaths was obtained from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, with pollen data being obtained from the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health. A time-stratified case-crossover study was performed to examine the association between different levels of pollen concentration and suicide mortality. During the study period there were 5185 male and 2332 female suicides in the pollen season (February to April). For men there was no association between airborne pollen and suicide mortality. For women, compared to when there was no airborne pollen, the same-day (lag 0) pollen level of 30 to <100 grains per cm2 was associated with an approximately 50% increase in the odds for suicide (e.g. 30 to <50 grains per cm2: odds ratio 1.574, 95% confidence interval 1.076-2.303, p=0.020). The estimates remained fairly stable after adjusting for air pollutants and after varying the cut-points that defined the pollen levels. Our results indicate that pollen is associated with female suicide mortality in Tokyo.

Airborne Pollen Concentrations and Emergency Room Visits for Myocardial Infarction: A Multicity Case-Crossover Study in Ontario, Canada.

Few studies have examined the acute cardiovascular effects of airborne allergens. We conducted a case-crossover study to evaluate the relationship between airborne allergen concentrations and emergency room visits for myocardial infarction (MI) in Ontario, Canada. In total, 17,960 cases of MI were identified between the months of April and October during the years 2004-2011. Daily mean aeroallergen concentrations (pollen and mold spores) were assigned to case and control periods using central-site monitors in each city along with daily measurements of meteorological data and air pollution (nitrogen dioxide and ozone). Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated using conditional logistic regression models adjusting for time-varying covariates. Risk of MI was 5.5% higher (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4, 7.6) on days in the highest tertile of total pollen concentrations compared with days in the lowest tertile, and a significant concentration-response trend was observed (P < 0.001). Higher MI risk was limited to same-day pollen concentrations, with the largest risks being observed during May (odds ratio = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.35) and June (odds ratio = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.22), when tree and grass pollen are most common. Mold spore concentrations were not associated with MI. Our findings suggest that airborne pollen might represent a previously unidentified environmental risk factor for myocardial infarction.

Temporal modelling and forecasting of the airborne pollen of Cupressaceae on the southwestern Iberian Peninsula.

Cupressaceae includes species cultivated as ornamentals in the urban environment. This study aims to investigate airborne pollen data for Cupressaceae on the southwestern Iberian Peninsula over a 21-year period and to analyse the trends in these data and their relationship with meteorological parameters using time series analysis. Aerobiological sampling was conducted from 1993 to 2013 in Badajoz (SW Spain). The main pollen season for Cupressaceae lasted, on average, 58 days, ranging from 55 to 112 days, from 24 January to 22 March. Furthermore, a short-term forecasting model has been developed for daily pollen concentrations. The model proposed to forecast the airborne pollen concentration is described by one equation. This expression is composed of two terms: the first term represents the pollen concentration trend in the air according to the average concentration of the previous 10 days; the second term is obtained from considering the actual pollen concentration value, which is calculated based on the most representative meteorological parameters multiplied by a fitting coefficient. Temperature was the main meteorological factor by its influence over daily pollen forecast, being the rain the second most important factor. This model represents a good approach to a continuous balance model of Cupressaceae pollen concentration and is supported by a close agreement between the observed and predicted mean concentrations. The novelty of the proposed model is the analysis of meteorological parameters that are not frequently used in Aerobiology.

Diurnal variations of airborne pollen concentration and the effect of ambient temperature in three sites of Mexico City.

Pollen is an important cause of allergic respiratory ailments in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). However, very little is known if ambient air temperature correlates with the early blooming of plants observed in other urban areas around the world. A research study was conducted during the dry season of 2012-2013 at three representative sites of the MCMA with different urban characteristics with the aim to understand the relationships between the profusion and diversity of pollen against temperature and other meteorological variables and degree of urbanization. Pollen samples were collected using a Hirst-type trap sampler in the sites: Merced (highly urbanized), Iztapalapa (medium-high urbanized) and Coyoacan (moderately urbanized). Urbanization levels were determined using a composite index based on population density, proportion of surface covered by construction and asphalt, and urban heat island intensity. A set of representative pollen sampling tapes were assayed under a light microscope at magnification of ×1,000 and converted to grains per cubic meter. The most representative pollen types found in the three sites were, regardless of urbanization levels were: Fraxinus, Cupressaceae/Taxodiaceae, Casuarina, Alnus, Myrtaceae, and Pinus. Total pollen concentration was greatest in the moderately urbanized area, although earlier blooming took place at the highly urbanized zone. Total pollen concentration in the medium-high urbanized site has the lowest because the green areas in this zone of MCMA are few. In a diurnal basis, the most abundant pollen types peaked near midday or in the afternoon evening at the three sites. A Spearman test showed a positive correlation among bihourly pollen concentrations, temperature and relative humidity in all sites, but wind speed just correlated in Iztapalapa and Coyoacan. The results obtained suggest that Urban Heat Island Intensity can disturb flowering periods and pollen concentrations, largely in the highly urbanized areas. A principal components analysis established that the concentrations of each pollen type differed across the urbanization gradients. Additionally, it was found that a large number of allergenic pollens are produced by ornamental trees, some only recently introduced by urban planners.

Correlation between airborne Olea europaea pollen concentrations and levels of the major allergen Ole e 1 in Córdoba, Spain, 2012-2014.

Olea europaea L. pollen is the second-largest cause of pollinosis in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Airborne-pollen monitoring networks provide essential data on pollen dynamics over a given study area. Recent research, however, has shown that airborne pollen levels alone do not always provide a clear indicator of actual exposure to aeroallergens. This study sought to evaluate correlations between airborne concentrations of olive pollen and Ole e 1 allergen levels in Córdoba (southern Spain), in order to determine whether atmospheric pollen concentrations alone are sufficient to chart changes in hay fever symptoms. The influence of major weather-related variables on local airborne pollen and allergen levels was also examined. Monitoring was carried out from 2012 to 2014. Pollen sampling was performed using a Hirst-type sampler, following the protocol recommended by the Spanish Aerobiology Network. A multi-vial cyclone sampler was used to collect aeroallergens, and allergenic particles were quantified by ELISA assay. Significant positive correlations were found between daily airborne allergen levels and atmospheric pollen concentrations, although there were occasions when allergen was detected before and after the pollen season and in the absence of airborne pollen. The correlation between the two was irregular, and pollen potency displayed year-on-year variations and did not necessarily match pollen-season-intensity.

Airborne pollen exposure and risk of hospital admission for allergic rhinitis in Beijing: A time-stratified case-crossover study.

BACKGROUND: Airborne pollen is a crucial risk factor in allergic rhinitis (AR). The severity of AR symptoms can vary based on pollen type and concentration. This study aimed to estimate the association between exposure to different pollen types and AR risk. METHODS: We obtained data from patients admitted to the Beijing Tongren Hospital for AR, and data on pollen concentration, meteorological factors, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from 13 districts in Beijing from 2016 to 2019. We used a time-stratified case-crossover study design and calculated odds ratios (ORs) related to the risk of AR associated with a 10 grain/1000 mm2 increase in total pollen concentrations for specific pollen types. A stratified analysis was conducted to assess whether the associations were varied by age and sex. RESULTS: The OR of AR associated with a 10 grain/1000 mm2 increase in the 7-day average pollen concentration was 1.014 (95% CI: 1.014, 1.015), 1.076 (95% CI: 1.070, 1.082), 1.024 (95% CI: 1.023, 1.025), 1.042 (95% CI: 1.039, 1.045), 1.142 (95% CI: 1.137, 1.147), 1.092 (95% CI: 1.088, 1.097), 1.046 (95% CI: 1.035, 1.058), and 1.026 (95% CI: 1.024, 1.028) for total pollen, Ulmus, Cupressaceae, Populus, Fraxinus, Pinus, Betula, and Artemisia, respectively. Both tree pollen (Ulmus, Cupressaceae, Populus, Fraxinus, Betula, and Pinus) and weed pollen (Artemisia, Chenopodium, and Humulus) were correlated with an increased risk of AR. These associations remained consistent across distinct subgroups defined by both age and sex. CONCLUSION: Exposure to pollen from trees and weeds might be associated with an increased risk of AR. This research provides valuable scientific support for both clinical practitioners and patients with AR regarding the hazards of pollen exposure.

Pollen and sub-pollen particles: External interactions shaping the allergic potential of pollen.

Pollen allergies, such as allergic rhinitis, are triggered by exposure to airborne pollen. They are a considerable global health burden, with their numbers expected to rise in the coming decades due to the advent of climate change and air pollution. The relationships that exist between pollens, meteorological, and environmental conditions are complex due to a lack of clarity on the nature and conditions associated with these interactions; therefore, it is challenging to describe their direct impacts on allergenic potential clearly. This article attempts to review evidence pertaining to the possible influence of meteorological factors and air pollutants on the allergic potential of pollen by studying the interactions that pollen undergoes, from its inception to atmospheric traversal to human exposure. This study classifies the evidence based on the nature of these interactions as physical, chemical, source, and biological, thereby simplifying the complexities in describing these interactions. Physical conditions facilitating pollen rupturing for tree, grass, and weed pollen, along with their mechanisms, are studied. The effects of pollen exposure to air pollutants and their impact on pollen allergenic potential are presented along with the possible outcomes following these interactions, such as pollen fragmentation (SPP generation), deposition of particulate matter on pollen exine, and modification of protein levels in-situ of pollen. This study also delves into evidence on plant-based (source and biological) interactions, which could indirectly influence the allergic potential of pollen. The current state of knowledge, open questions, and a brief overview of future research directions are outlined and discussed. We suggest that future studies should utilise a multi-disciplinary approach to better understand this complex system of pollen interactions that occur in nature.

Incidence of grass and weed sensitization in Bangkok, Thailand: a clinical study.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent public health concern globally, significantly impacting quality of life. In Thailand, the prevalence of AR is rising, with grass and weed pollen identified as primary outdoor triggers. Objectives: This study aimed to (1) assess patterns of pollen sensitization in Thai AR patients and (2) investigate correlations between demographics/clinical data and SPT results. Methods: A total of 121 individuals aged ≥18 years with clinically diagnosed AR were recruited. Skin prick testing (SPT) was performed using a panel of commonly encountered tropical grass and weed pollen extracts. SPT wheal sizes and clinical symptom scores were recorded. Correlations between SPT outcomes and symptom scores were analyzed. Results: Among the participants, 104 (85.95%) exhibited positive SPT reactions to at least one pollen type. Nutsedge (76/121), para grass (57/121), and Bermuda grass (48/121) were the most frequently identified allergens. Hurricane grass elicited the strongest reaction, evidenced by the highest average wheal size (6.2 mm). Poly-sensitization was observed in 77 (63.6%) of the SPT-positive individuals, with most cases involving two different pollen extracts (35/77). Notably, AR severity positively correlated with both average wheal size and the number of positive SPT tests. Conclusion: This study highlights nutsedge, para grass, and Bermuda grass as major allergenic pollen sources for Thai AR patients. Including nutsedge, hurricane grass, and careless weed in clinical SPT panels is recommended for improved diagnostic accuracy. Additionally, the positive correlation between AR severity and pollen reaction strength emphasizes the importance of implementing patient education and avoidance strategies.

Global warming contributes to reduction in the intensity of Artemisia pollen seasons in Lublin, central-eastern Poland.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Species of the genus Artemisia (Asteraceae) are weeds and ruderal plants growing in northern temperate regions of the world. Many of them are used in medicine and the cosmetic industry and for culinary purposes. Pollen grains of plants of this genus contain the most important aeroallergens. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An aerobiological study conducted with the volumetric method in Lublin in 2001-2022. Trend lines for the season parameters were established. Spearman's correlation and stepwise regression analyses were carried out to determine relationships between various parameters of the pollen season and meteorological factors. PCA analysis was also carried out to visually compare the pollen seasons. RESULTS: In Lublin, central-eastern Poland, the Artemisia pollen season lasted on average from the second ten days of July to the end of August, with its beginning depending on the temperature in April and May. The highest pollen concentrations were mainly recorded in the first half of August and were largely dependent on the mean temperature in June and July. The second peak in the pollen season recorded in September was associated with the presence of Artemisia annua pollen. Intense sunshine in June and the higher temperatures in June and July resulted in significant reduction in the Artemisia annual pollen sum (by 65%) over 22 years. Artemisia vulgaris is abundant in the Lublin region and contributes substantially to the amount of Artemisia pollen in the aeroplankton. CONCLUSIONS: The downward trend in the amount of Artemisia pollen was a result of the increase in temperatures observed in the summer months, and the declining rainfall rates. The global warming effect is extremely unfavourable for plants of Artemisia vulgaris, as they require moist soil substrates for growth.