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Short-term effect of pollen exposure on drug consumption for allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to analyse the short-term relationship between pollen exposure and allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis (ARC) using drug deliveries in two urban areas in the south of France, from 2004 to 2007. An ARC case was defined as the association of an oral antihistamine drug and a local (nose or eye) antiallergenic drug on the same medical prescription. Generalized additive models and generalized additive distributed lag models, taking into account confounding factors such as meteorological data or days of the week, were computed to estimate the relationship between pollen counts and ARC. This study showed a statistically significant association between pollen concentration in the air and the increase in the number of deliveries in pharmacy for ARC in both urban areas. This relation was statistically significant in at least one of the two studied cities for Artemisia, Plantaginanceae, Poaceae, Cupressaceae, Quercus, Fraxinus, Olea, Pinus and Populus. In this southern area of France where Cupressaceae planting is very developed, relative risks estimated for an interquartile increase in Cupressaceae pollen concentration were 1.09 (1.06–1.13) in Montpellier and 1.03 (1.01–1.04) in Nîmes. These results indicate that Cupressaceae planting has a population health impact and that alternative needs to be developed.

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Abbreviations

ARC:

Allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis

GAM:

Generalized additive model

RR:

Relative risk

CI:

Confidence interval

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Acknowledgments

This study, carried out by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, represents part of the MEDIPOLL project (see http://www.france-pollen.com/ for further information). MEDIPOLL was co-funded by the Direction régionale des affaires sanitaires et sociales (DRASS), the groupement régional de santé publique and the palynology unit of Montpellier SupAgro. Data pollens were provided by the Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique. Atmospheric pollutant data were supplied by the local office for air quality surveillance, Air-Languedoc-Roussillon. Meteorological data were furnished by the national meteorological institute, Météo-France. The authors thank Vérène Wagner and Abdelkrim Zeghnoun from the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance for assistance on statistical modelling and Amandine Cochet and Daniel Eilstein for read-through.

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  1. Yvon Motreff

    Present address: Département Santé Environnement, Institut de veille sanitaire, 12 rue du Val d’Osne, 94415, Saint-Maurice, Cedex, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cellule de l’Institut de veille sanitaire en Région Languedoc-Roussillon, ARS du Languedoc-Roussillon, 28 Parc-Club du Millénaire, 1025 rue Henri Becquerel, CS 30001, 34067, Montpellier Cedex 2, France

    Yvon Motreff & Franck Golliot

  2. Montpellier SupAgro, 2 place Pierre Viala, bât 28, 34060, Montpellier Cedex 2, France

    Michel Calleja & Isabelle Farrera

  3. Agence régionale de santé du Languedoc-Roussillon, 28 Parc-Club du Millénaire, 1025 rue Henri Becquerel, CS 30001, 34067, Montpellier Cedex 2, France

    Annick Le Pape & Isabelle Plaisant

  4. Département des maladies chroniques et des traumatismes, Institut de veille sanitaire, 12 rue du Val d’Osne, 94415, Saint-Maurice, Cedex, France

    Claire Fuhrman

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  1. Yvon Motreff
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Correspondence to Yvon Motreff.

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Motreff, Y., Golliot, F., Calleja, M. et al. Short-term effect of pollen exposure on drug consumption for allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis. Aerobiologia 30, 35–44 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-013-9307-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-013-9307-1

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