OBJECTIVETo analyze the correlation between airborne pollen concentrations and symptoms in patients with pollen allergic rhinitis.

METHODSDurhum sampler was used to collect the pollen concentration and species from June to September in 2011. The clinical skin prick test (SPT) data were analyzed. The patients with pollen allergic rhinitis were divided into pure pollen allergic rhinitis group (pollen group) and pollen combined perennial allergens allergic rhinitis group (combined group). Symptom scores of patients were assessed, and correlation between pollen concentration and onset of symptoms of patients were analyzed. SPSS 16.0 software was used to analyse the data.

RESULTSWhile the peak of Summer-Autumn pollen concentration appeared from August 20 to September 15, the major pollen included Artemisia L, Chenopodium album and Humulus scandens. The peak of pollen concentration in one day reached 638/1000 mm(2). The patients taken SPT from June to September accounted for 51.9% of the patients in whole year, among which SPT pollen positive patients were 1509, 60.7% of all SPT positive patients. The amount and rate of SPT positive patients showed significant correlation with pollen concentration(r value were 0.90 and 0.99, both P < 0.05). Onset of symptoms in two groups was correlated with pollen concentration in Summer-Autumn. Symptoms of cough in combined group showed more severe compared with patients with pollen group (t = 2.36, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPollen concentration has a major effect on onset of symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Airborne pollen monitoring has important preventive and therapeutic significance on patients with allergic rhinitis.