Abstract
Background: Seasonal allergic rhinitis caused by Japanese cypress pollen is highly associated with that by Japanese cedar pollen, due to the similar antigen of the two pollens. Clinically, patients with cypress pollinosis complain of strong throat symptoms.
Method: Weekly nasal and throat symptoms during the pollen season in patients with Japanese cedar-cypress pollinosis were measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). Symptoms other than rhinoconjuctivitis by Japanese rhinitis quality of life questionnaire No2 were compared in two different pollen scattering-seasons.
Result: VAS showed that nasal symptoms appeared parallel with pollen scattering, and that they were severe in the cedar season more than in the cypress season. On the other hand, throat dysconfort and cough were worse in the cypress season, even though this study took place of during a year when there was only a small amount of cypress-pollen scattering. The severity of symptoms other than rhinoconjunctivitis in cedar pollinosis depended on the total amount of pollen, however, cypress pollinosis showed severe throat symptoms in both a small and a mass scattering year.
Conclusion: Although cypress and cedar pollinosis is considered as the same disease, cypress pollinosis showed more severe symptoms other than rhinoconjunctivitis. Throat symptoms in particular are more severe in cypress pollinosis, even in the year of a small amount of scattering.
