Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2014 Mar;2(1):48-58. 10.4168/aard.2014.2.1.48.

Evaluation of the association of vegetation of allergenic plants and pollinosis with meteorological changes

• Kim JH
• Oh JW
• Lee HB
• Kim SW
• Chung HL
• Kook MH
• Park KS
• Kim BS
• Kim JK
• Lee DJ
• Paik WK
• Kim KR
• Lee HL
• Choi YJ
• Yu SD
• Kim JH
• Cho YS

• KMID: 2168571
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2014.2.1.48

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.

Keyword

Pollen; Plant weeds; Meteorological factors; Allergic rhinitis

MeSH Terms

Ambrosia
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Climate Change
Humans
Humulus
Hypersensitivity
Meteorological Concepts
Plant Weeds
Pollen
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal*
Seoul

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Questionnaire for the follow-up of pollen allergy symptoms.

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  Fig. 2 Long-term trends of pollen concentration from each allergenic plants at Seoul by using statistical analysis (X11-ARIMA, autoregressive integrated moving average).

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  Fig. 3 Comparison between mean temperature, weed pollen concentration and allergic rhinitis symptom index at six areas in Korea. meanT, mean temperature; symptom index.

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  Fig. 4 Comparison between accumulated temperature (degree days), weed pollen concentration and allergic rhinitis symptom index at six areas in Korea. accumT, accumulated temperature; SI, symptom index.

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  Fig. 5 Comparison between 7-day sunshine hours, weed pollen concentration and allergic rhinitis symptom index at six areas in Korea. AS, accumulated sunshine; SI, symptom index.

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  Fig. 6 The linear regression between the vegetation area of ragweed and the maximum daily concentration of their pollens for guideline of allergenic weeds.

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  Fig. 7 The linear regression between the vegetation area of Japanese hop and the maximum daily concentration of their pollens for guideline of allergenic weeds.

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