Conjunctivitis caused by pollen allergy - an overlooked clinical problem?

Boguslaw Wach¹, Lidia Stawska-Trzaskowska², Radoslaw Spiewak³, Marek Prost⁴, Wlodzimierz Matysiak⁵

1. Regional Dermatology & Venereology Outpatient Clinic, Lublin, Poland
2. Ophthalmology Outpatient Clinic, Deblin, Poland
3. Department of Aerobiology and Allergology, Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin, Poland
4. Ophthalmology Clinic, Lublin Medical Academy, Poland
5. Department of Histology, Lublin Medical Academy, Poland

Published in: R. Spiewak (Editor): "Pollens and Pollinosis: Current Problems". Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin (Poland) 1995, pages 79-80. (The book's table of contents.)

Aim

The aim of the presented study was to assess the frequency of pollinosis as a cause of chronic conjunctivitis, which was not amenable to routine antibacterial treatment.

Patients

148 patients (76 females and 72 males, mean age 38 years) in whom conjunctivitis was diagnosed and the symptoms were present longer than 4 weeks, despite the routine antibacterial treatment. The patients were taking no drugs known to modify the skin reactivity.

Methods

In the patients skin prick tests with common aeroallergens and food allergens (Bencard, UK and Biomed, Poland) were done. As a positive skin reaction to given allergen was considered a wheal of the diameter not smaller than 1/2 diameter of control histamine wheal.

Results

The results are shown in Table 1. In over 35 % of patients with chronic conjunctivitis the presence of an allergy to common inhalation allergens was discovered. The most typical allergens in this group were grass pollens and pollens of other wind-pollinated plants.

Table 1.

Allergen	No of positive reactions	%	95%-confidence interval
Grasses I	53	35.8	28.1 - 43.5
Grasses II	40	27.0	19.9 - 34.2
Trees	21	14.2	8.6 - 19.8
Weeds	7	4.7	1.3 - 8.1
House dust	48	32.4	24.9 - 40.0
Straw dust	7	4.7	1.3 - 8.1
Hay dust	8	5.4	1.8- 9.0
Candida albicans	4	2.7	0.1 - 5.3
Aspergillus and Penicillium	5	3.4	0.4 - 7.2
Hen-feathers	1	0.7	0.0 - 2.0
Goose- and duck-feathers	9	6.0	2.2 - 9.9
Dog hair	4	2.7	0.1 - 5.3
Cat hair	2	1.3	0.0 - 3.2
Mouse hair	0	0	-
Hamster hair	0	0	-
Rabbit hair	0	0	-
Cow hair	0	0	-
Horse hair	0	0	-
Sheep wool	6	4.0	0.9 - 7.2
Cow's milk	0	0	-
Wheat flour	0	0	-
Hen's egg white	7	4.7	1.3 - 8.1
Hen's egg yolk	8	5.4	1.8- 9.0
Pork	0	0	-
Beef	0	0	-
Veal	3	2.0	0.2 - 4.3
Chicken meat	0	0	-
Fresh-water fish	0	0	-
Sea fishes	8	5.4	1.8- 9.0
Potato	0	0	-
Tomato	2	1.3	0.0 - 3.2
Carrot	3	2.0	0.2 - 4.3
Bean	0	0	-
Pea	0	0	-
Onion	1	0.7	0.0 - 2.0
Celery	2	1.3	0.0 - 3.2
Walnut	5	3.4	0.4 - 7.2
Rice	0	0	-
Orange	2	1.3	0.0 - 3.2
Apple	2	1.3	0.0 - 3.2
Strawberry	7	4.7	1.3 - 8.1
Cocoa	6	4.0	0.9 - 7.2

Conclusions

The presented results suggest that pollinosis is a frequent cause of chronic, and not amenable to routine antibacterial treatment, conjunctivitis. Thus, in every case of persistent conjunctivitis the presence of pollinosis should be taken into consideration.

For personal use only. © Radoslaw Spiewak.
Page created: 1 May 2004, last updated: 13 February 2006.