29 Allergic Rhinitis to Ragweed Pollen

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of pollen allergy is estimated around 40% in general population. Ragweed (ambrosia artemisiifolia) pollen represents a major source of allergen but was rare in Romania. The aim is to evaluate the symptoms and associated factors in patients with allergic rhinitis to ragweed pollen in the northwest region of Romania. METHODS: 74 patients (pts) (mean age 27.97 ± 13.85 years) with allergic rhinitis to ragweed pollen were included in the study. The patients were clinically evaluated regarding the severity of the symptoms on a scale from 0 to 3 and their duration. A total score over 6 indicates a moderate/severe form of rhinitis. We evaluated the association with other allergic manifestations (asthma and urticaria). All the patients had skin prick tests to inhalant allergens. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using Anova, Chi-square and Fischer tests, with a significance of P < 0.05. RESULTS: 50.94% of the pts were female. 58.1% of them presented mild allergic rhinitis, while 41.9% moderate severe forms. 27% of the pts were monosensitised to ragweed pollen and 73% of the pts were polisensitised. The patients monosensitised to ragweed had moderate/severe forms of rhinitis (14 vs 86%, P = 0.004) compared with polisensitised group. The symptoms score was higher in pts with monosensitisation compared with polisensitisation pts (7.05 vs 5.28, P = 0.02). In monosensitized group the ocular szmptoms were more frequently present (65 vs 18%, P = 0.02) and were more severe (0.65 vs 0.33, P = 0.01). The number of pts with association of allergic rhinitis and asthma was higher in the polisensitised group compared to the monosensitised one (44.4 vs 11.11%, P = 0.029). The interval between the onset of the symptoms and diagnosis of rhinitis is higher in polisensitised pts and significantly increased in pts with asthma. There is no correlation between environment (rural–urban), age, sex, family and personal allergic history and the type of sensitisation and severity of the symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Ragweed produces intense allergogen pollen and determines severe forms of allergic rhinitis and also the presence of ocular symptoms. Polisensitisation increases the risk of associated asthma and also increases the interval betweeen the onset of the symptoms and diagnosis.