RESEARCH PAPER
Correlation between conjunctival provocation test results and conjunctivalsymptoms in pollinosis - preliminary report.
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1
Department of the Prevention of Environmental Hazards, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
2
Military Institute of Medicine, Otolaryngology Clinic, Warsaw, Poland
Corresponding author
Agnieszka Lipiec
Department of the Prevention of Environmental Hazards, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2005;12(1):17-20
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ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between the levelof reactivity in conjunctival provocation test and conjunctival symptoms that develop during the pollination season in grass allergic patients. Conjunctival provocation test with grass pollen allergens was performed in 22 patients suffering from pollinosis. During grass pollination season all patients monitored their symptoms with Symptoms Score Cards. A parallel measurement of the level of grass pollen count was carried out on a daily basis by volumetric method. The mean grass pollen count which triggered the reaction inindividual patients depended on the results of conjunctival provocation test. The lowest pollen countlevel was observed in cases of patients with positive conjunctival provocation test at low allergen extract concentration of 160 and 500 BU/ml, whereas the highest count in cases of 1,600 BU/ml. The difference between the results was found to be statistically significant. A threshold grass pollen concentration for conjunctival symptoms was established at the level of 22 grains/m3. We conclude that the patients with pollinosis and high reactivity in conjunctival provocation test develop conjunctival symptoms earlier during grass pollination season than the patients who are characterised by lower reactivity during conjunctival provocation test.