Airway provocation test with ragweed pollen extract in Chinese asthmatics

As ragweed becomes widespread over China, ragweed pollenosis tends to be more frequent. Incidence of ragweed pollenosis is about 1.04% in Qingdao district. To elucidate ragweed as an allergen in the development of bronchial asthma, ragweed pollen extract inhalation airway provocation tests (APT) were studied in 55 patients with ragweed pollenosis. A single dosage of 9,000 PNU ragweed pollen extract was applied and positive response was defined as more than 35% fall in SGrs at the dose of PT35-Grs. Among 55 patients, positive APTs were found in 27 cases (49%), dual late-phase responses in 11 patients, single late-phase responses in 2 patients in the complicated asthma group. Late-phase responses were related to the increased specific IgE and strong positive skin test response (wheal > 11 mm). The results suggested ragweed pollen was one of the important allergens causing bronchial asthma. There was airway hyperresponsiveness to ragweed pollen in some patients (20%) with ragweed pollenosis without asthmatic symptoms.