正好赶上过敏高峰周,” DHMC launches New England’s only 花粉 counting station

酷暑难耐的夏天可能结束了, 但对于受季节性过敏原影响的人, 痛苦才刚刚开始. The third week of September is known as “peak week” in hospitals nationwide, as emergency departments see their highest numbers of allergy and asthma patients of the year. 豚草花粉数升高的汇合, 树叶上的霉菌开始脱落, and increased viral transmission from the start of the schoolyear equates to sneezing and discomfort for many, but can result in emergency breathing concerns for others.

To help researchers studying the impact of environmental allergens on asthma and allergy sufferers, and how a changing climate is affecting 花粉 and spore counts, 十大网赌平台推荐卫生’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) partnered with the 国家过敏局 (NAB) to install a 花粉 counting station on the roof of DHMC’s power plant. 由过敏和临床免疫学专家领导 艾琳·L. 雷，医学博士，硕士, samples collected in the 花粉 counting station will be reported back to NAB for inclusion in its national tracking of environmental allergen levels.

“There are only about 60 active certified 花粉 counting stations in the United States, which means the 花粉 counts that patients see on the news are sometimes gathered from stations hundreds of miles away,雷说. “A lot of 花粉 counting stations are also located in big cities, which is obviously a very different environment as well. I really wanted more accurate information for our patients.”

Pollen and mold particles are filtered through the station and collected on a metal drum coated in a sticky film. Reigh removes the samples from the drum and observes and identifies them with a microscope. DHMC’s station is the only one currently operating in New England, 第二近的在罗切斯特, NY. Supplying this data to NAB provides valuable information to researchers regarding which environmental allergens are flaring up in certain areas, and if warming temperatures over time are contributing to longer, 更强烈的过敏季节.

“花粉季节正在改变，”Reigh说. “Studies show that ragweed season is two to four weeks longer than it was in the 1990s, and we are seeing allergenic plants spread farther north with the warmer temperatures. Higher CO2 levels also cause ragweed plants to release more 花粉.”

Reigh became certified in 花粉 identification through NAB after observing the struggles many of her patients go through during allergy season. Some people require custom-mixed allergy shots based on what allergens are making them sick, 她说, so having a better understanding of what allergens are present in the area gives her a better idea of what her patients need.

“Allergy shots are a way to retrain the immune system to stop reacting to an allergen,雷说. “You have to have a good understanding of the local allergens to know what to include in the allergy shots, 否则就没有效果了. The 花粉 counting station is going to help us zero in on the most problematic allergens in our area. That means we can tailor the tests and treatments we offer, 以病人最相关的为目标.”

To subscribe to allergen reports from DHMC’s 花粉 counting station, visit 花粉.aaaai.org.