RESUMO
BACKGROUND: few studies report clinical and aerobiological pollen data in the north-west of Spain, a region similar to northern and central Europe. Moreover, it is difficult to obtain patients' collaboration in filling out symptom cards. The aim of this study was to establish a relationship between pollen types and clinical data obtained through questionnaire and telephone calls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: from January to December 2000, 24 patients aged 28 10.6 years and allergic to pollens were studied. The seasonal and hourly rhythm of symptoms and their intensity were obtained monthly by telephone calls. Atmospheric pollen was collected over the same period using a Hirst-type volumetric pollen sampler. RESULTS: the most important pollen types recorded were Poaceae, Betula, Parietaria and Plantago. Most patients (83 %) showed symptoms during March and in the period between May and July (99 %), which coincided with the greatest quantity of atmospheric pollen. Fifty-six percent of the patients complained of symptoms during the first hours of the morning, 63 % during the central hours of the day and 22 % at nightfall. In specific sensitizations, symptoms were more evident during the hours of maximum atmospheric levels of their taxa. CONCLUSIONS: the method employed in the present study to obtain information on patients' symptomatology (telephoning their homes once a month) proved useful and revealed a clear relationship between the presence of certain pollens in the atmosphere and the development of symptoms.
