Changes in the Quality of Life and Symptom Severity in Japanese Cedar Pollinosis Patients at the Time Increase in Cedar Pollen Dispersal

摘要

The aims of this study were to confirm the relationship between the cumulative exposurelevel to cedar pollen and the quality of life(QOL)and symptom severity among patientsof Japanese cedar pollinosis,and to evaluate the effects of prophylactic treatment and ofself-treatment behaviors on the QOL and symptom severity at the time of the increasein cedar pollen dispersal.We conducted a questionnaire survey of outpatients seen between March 14 and April 22,2005,and obtained valid responses from 537 respondents;the Japanese Allergic RhinitisStandard QOL Questionnaire(JRQLQ)covered the QOL and symptoms,and the effectsof prophylactic treatment and self-treatment behaviors. In addition,113 patients answereda follow-up questionnaire 10 to 26 days after the first questionnaire survey,whenthe cedar pollen exposure level increased. The cumulative exposure level to cedarpollen was defined as the total counts of observations by the nearest airborne pollenmeasurement facility from February 26 to the day of the investigation.The results of analysis revealed that for the entire patient population,the cumulativeexposure level to cedar pollen was inversely related to the QOL(P ＜0.05)and positivelyrelated to the symptom severity(P ＜0.05). In the follow-up survey,the QOL andsymptom severity were better in the patients who had received prophylactic treatmentthan in those who had not received prophylactic treatment. Among self-treatmentbehaviors,“frequent room cleaning”tended to be associated with improved QOL(P ＝0.061). In conclusion,prophylactic treatment and appropriate self-treatment behaviorsmay have favorable effects on the QOL of Japanese cedar pollinosis patients at the timeof increase of cedar pollen dispersal.