Nur S Idrose1, Shyamali C Dharmage1, Adrian J Lowe1, Katrina A Lambert2, Caroline J Lodge1, Michael J Abramson3, Jo A Douglass4, Ed J Newbigin5, Bircan Erbas6. 1. Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie St, Carlton, Victoria, 3053, Australia. 2. School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Victoria, Australia. 3. School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia. 4. Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, 3050, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia. 5. School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia. 6. School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: b.erbas@latrobe.edu.au.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Thunderstorm asthma is defined as epidemics of asthma occurring shortly after a thunderstorm. While grass pollen has been implicated in thunderstorm asthma events, little is known about the role of fungi and studies have not been synthesised. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to evaluate whether grass pollen is necessary in thunderstorm asthma events and whether fungi also play a part in these associations. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search using six electronic databases (i.e. CINAHL, Medline (Ovid), Web of Science, ProQuest Central, EMBASE and Google Scholar) and checked reference lists. The search terms used were pollen AND thunderstorm* AND asthma. The inclusion criteria were studies published in English with original human data relating to outdoor pollen and thunderstorm asthma. RESULTS: Twenty of 2198 studies were eligible. Reported findings differed due to variation in methodological approaches and a meta-analysis was not possible. Nonetheless, of the 20 studies included, 15 demonstrated some relationship with nine demonstrating lagged effects up to four days for increasing grass pollen counts associated with increased risk of thunderstorm asthma. Of the 10 studies that examined fungi, nine demonstrated a positive relationship with thunderstorm asthma. The fungal taxa involved varied, depending on whether measurements were recorded before, during or after the thunderstorm. Nevertheless, none of the studies considered fungi as a potential effect modifier for the pollen-thunderstorm asthma association. CONCLUSION: We found evidence to suggest that grass pollen was a necessary factor for thunderstorm asthma but there are other as yet unrecognised environmental factors that may also be important. Further research is required to examine the role of fungi and other environmental factors such as air quality as potential effect modifiers of the association. Crown
BACKGROUND: Thunderstorm asthma is defined as epidemics of asthma occurring shortly after a thunderstorm. While grass pollen has been implicated in thunderstorm asthma events, little is known about the role of fungi and studies have not been synthesised. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to evaluate whether grass pollen is necessary in thunderstorm asthma events and whether fungi also play a part in these associations. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search using six electronic databases (i.e. CINAHL, Medline (Ovid), Web of Science, ProQuest Central, EMBASE and Google Scholar) and checked reference lists. The search terms used were pollen AND thunderstorm* AND asthma. The inclusion criteria were studies published in English with original human data relating to outdoor pollen and thunderstorm asthma. RESULTS: Twenty of 2198 studies were eligible. Reported findings differed due to variation in methodological approaches and a meta-analysis was not possible. Nonetheless, of the 20 studies included, 15 demonstrated some relationship with nine demonstrating lagged effects up to four days for increasing grass pollen counts associated with increased risk of thunderstorm asthma. Of the 10 studies that examined fungi, nine demonstrated a positive relationship with thunderstorm asthma. The fungal taxa involved varied, depending on whether measurements were recorded before, during or after the thunderstorm. Nevertheless, none of the studies considered fungi as a potential effect modifier for the pollen-thunderstorm asthma association. CONCLUSION: We found evidence to suggest that grass pollen was a necessary factor for thunderstorm asthma but there are other as yet unrecognised environmental factors that may also be important. Further research is required to examine the role of fungi and other environmental factors such as air quality as potential effect modifiers of the association. Crown
Authors: Kathryn M Emmerson; Jeremy D Silver; Marcus Thatcher; Alan Wain; Penelope J Jones; Andrew Dowdy; Edward J Newbigin; Beau W Picking; Jason Choi; Elizabeth Ebert; Tony Bannister Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-04-14 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Nur Sabrina Idrose; Caroline J Lodge; Bircan Erbas; Jo A Douglass; Dinh S Bui; Shyamali C Dharmage Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-06-20 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Samuel Anees-Hill; Philippa Douglas; Catherine H Pashley; Anna Hansell; Emma L Marczylo Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2021-11-17 Impact factor: 10.753
Authors: Mare Lõhmus; Tomas Lind; Laura MacLachlan; Agneta Ekebom; Björn Gedda; Pia Östensson; Antonios Georgelis Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-11 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Ala AlQuran; Mehak Batra; Nugroho Harry Susanto; Anne E Holland; Janet M Davies; Bircan Erbas; Edwin R Lampugnani Journal: Allergy Rhinol (Providence) Date: 2021-04-26
Authors: Omer Kalayci; Michael Miligkos; César Fireth Pozo Beltrán; Zeinab A El-Sayed; René Maximiliano Gómez; Elham Hossny; Peter Le Souef; Antonio Nieto; Wanda Phipatanakul; Paulo Marcio Pitrez; Paraskevi Xepapadaki; Wang Jiu-Yao; Nikolaos G Papadopoulos Journal: World Allergy Organ J Date: 2022-03-08 Impact factor: 4.084
Authors: Gennaro D'Amato; Isabella Annesi-Maesano; Marilyn Urrutia-Pereira; Stefano Del Giacco; Nelson A Rosario Filho; Herberto J Chong-Neto; Dirceu Solé; Ignacio Ansotegui; Lorenzo Cecchi; Alessandro Sanduzzi Zamparelli; Emma Tedeschini; Benedetta Biagioni; Margarita Murrieta-Aguttes; Maria D'Amato Journal: Multidiscip Respir Med Date: 2021-12-02