Pollen May Trigger Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Flares

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Pollen count increases past medium or higher thresholds are associated with increased flare onset among some individuals with urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS), according to a study published online Dec. 21 in The Journal of Urology.

Irum Javed, M.P.H., from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues examined flare status every two weeks for one year to determine whether pollen triggers UCPPS flares. For the first three flares and at three randomly selected nonflare times, flare symptoms, flare start date, and exposures in the three days before a flare were queried. These data were linked to daily pollen count by date and location. Pollen count and rises past established thresholds were compared for the three days before and the day of a flare versus nonflare values. In addition, flare rates were estimated in the three weeks following pollen rises past established thresholds.

The researchers observed no associations for daily pollen count with flare onset, but in participants with allergies or respiratory tract disorders, there were positive associations seen for pollen count increases past medium or higher thresholds in the case-crossover (odds ratio, 1.31) and full longitudinal (relative rate, 1.23) samples.

“Our results are consistent with patient reports that pollen triggers their flares and with case series/report data suggesting that asthma and allergy medications relieve UCPPS symptoms,” the authors write.

One author was an employee of engage2Health; a second author was employed by STATinMED.

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