A clinical study was carried out on 336 patients diagnosed with nasal allergic symptoms in Otolaryngological Clinic of Obihiro Kousei Hospital from April 1993 to July 1995. The diagnosis was made based on their history, numbers of eosinophils in the peripheral blood and nasal secretion and the results of the radioallergosorbent test (RAST).
House dust and mites were the most frequent allergens, as reported by almost all clinics in Hokkaido. On the other hand, in this Tokachi district, pollinosis allergens include birch pollinosis in 98 patients (40.8%), orchard grass pollinosis in 66 patients (27.5%), regweed pollinosis in 75 patients (31.6%) and timothy pollinosis in 77 patients (32.1%).
It seems that Pecatnres are due to the local characteristics such as cllimate, geographical features and plant distribution in the Tokachi area.

Methods: LSS patients who underwent decompression surgery with or without fusion were included. Clinical outcomes were measured before surgery and 6 months postoperatively using the Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ); Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of low back pain, leg pain, and leg numbness; Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire; and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale were used to evaluate psychological status before surgery. Patients were classified as satisfied or dissatisfied with surgery based on a ZCQ satisfaction subscale cutoff score of 2.5. Results: The satisfied and dissatisfied groups contained 128 and 29 patients, respectively. Six months postoperatively, outcome scores for the dissatisfied group were unchanged or worse than preoperative scores (p>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant associations between dissatisfaction and preoperative low back pain VAS score ≥ median (odds ratio [OR], 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10–0.74; p=0.01), preoperative mental health SF-36 score ≥ median (OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.08–0.89; p=0.03), and preoperative anxiety HADS score ≥ median (OR, 3.95; 95% CI, 1.16–13.46; p=0.03). Conclusions Preoperative less severe low back pain, lower mental health, and higher anxiety are associated with patient dissatisfaction with lumbar surgery, not depression, pain catastrophizing, or fear-avoidance beliefs. Pre- and postoperative psychological status should be assessed carefully and managed appropriately.