Symptom patterns and comparison of diagnostic methods in ragweed pollen allergy

Haidar,Laura; Tamas,Tudor-Paul; Stolz,Frank; Petrisor Patrascu,Raul Florian; Chen,Kuan-Wei; Panaitescu,Carmen

doi:10.3892/etm.2021.9957

Symptom patterns and comparison of diagnostic methods in ragweed pollen allergy

Authors:
- Laura Haidar
- Tudor-Paul Tamas
- Frank Stolz
- Raul Florian Petrisor Patrascu
- Kuan-Wei Chen
- Carmen Panaitescu
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Affiliations: Discipline of Physiology, Department III Functional Sciences, ‘Victor Babes’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania, Department of Product Development, Biomay AG, A‑1090 Vienna, Austria, Centre for Gene and Cellular Therapies in The Treatment of Cancer‑OncoGen, ‘Pius Brinzeu’ Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
Published online on: March 22, 2021 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9957
Article Number: 525
Copyright: © Haidar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of symptoms of ragweed pollen‑induced allergic disease in sensitized patients from Romania and to compare the molecular diagnosis of allergy with the skin prick test, in order to better characterize allergic patients and to guide therapy. A total of 97 subjects, including patients with ragweed pollen‑induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with/without asthma, as well as healthy controls, were recruited prospectively in one ragweed pollen season, submitted to allergy questionnaires, skin prick tests and multiplex specific IgE (immunoglobulin E) measurement by ImmunoCAP ISAC (ImmunoCAP Immuno‑Solid phase Allergy Chip) assay. A total of 83 patients were sensitized to ragweed pollen. Most patients (73%) were diagnosed with moderate‑severe intermittent allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and 25% of the patients also had allergic asthma. The most common symptoms were watery rhinorrhea (91.57%), nasal obstruction (86.75%), and sneezing (85.54%). Most patients were polysensitized (62.65%), especially to other pollens, house dust mites and animal danders. Only 90% of the patients with positive skin prick test to ragweed pollen extract also had increased specific serum IgE to Amb a 1. Current options for specific molecular diagnosis of ragweed allergy are limited, as they only contain one or few of the sensitizing allergens present in ragweed pollen. An improved component‑resolved diagnosis, using several ragweed pollen allergens, is required for better patient characterization and subsequent selection of an appropriate allergen immunotherapy product, thereby enabling a more personalized approach to the management of the ragweed‑allergic patient.

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