Evaluation of the association of vegetation of allergenic plants and pollinosis with meteorological changes.
- Author:
Joo Hwa KIM
1
;
Jae Won OH
;
Ha Baik LEE
;
Seong Won KIM
;
Hai Lee CHUNG
;
Myung Hee KOOK
;
Kang Seo PARK
;
Bong Seong KIM
;
Ja Kyung KIM
;
Dong Jin LEE
;
Won Ki PAIK
;
Kyu Rang KIM
;
Hey Lim LEE
;
Young Jin CHOI
;
Seung Do YU
;
Jeong Hwa KIM
;
Yong Seong CHO
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Pollen; Plant weeds; Meteorological factors; Allergic rhinitis
- MeSH: Ambrosia; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Climate Change; Humans; Humulus; Hypersensitivity; Meteorological Concepts; Plant Weeds; Pollen; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal*; Seoul
- From:Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease 2014;2(1):48-58
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
- Abstract: PURPOSE: There are a number of reports suggesting that widespread propagation of weeds and high concentration of weed pollen have been contributed to climate change. We investigated the interrelationship between allergenic pollen concentration, allergic symptom and meteorological factor. METHODS: We collected data of pollen concentration and meteorological factors in 7 stations nationwide during between 1998 and 2012. We recruited total 297 allergic patients sensitized to weed pollens from each station, conducted a survey about allergic symptom, and calculated symptom index. We surveyed the vegetation area of ragweed and Japanese hop. Based on these data, we performed the long-term trend analysis (X11-ARIMA, autoregressive integrated moving average) on regional pollen concentration, and correlation analysis to investigate the interrelation between weed pollen concentration, allery symptom index and meteorological factor. We have also done regression analysis on vegetation area and maximal pollen concentration. RESULTS: Long-term trend analysis showed the increasing trend of pllen concentration in Seoul. Weed pollen concentration, allergy symptom index and each meteorological factor were not correlated significantly. Regression analysis revealed that increase of weed vegetation area results in increase of weed pollen concentration. Through this regression equation, we estimated the vegetation area that can product pollen concentration triggering allergenic risk. CONCLUSION: Meteorological factors, pollen concentration and allergic symptoms should be consistently assessed and the relationship between each factor should be analyzed, considering climate change. It is necessary to verify the equation for pollen estimation by vegetation area and set up a policy for vegetation control focused on the reduction of allergenic pollen.
