Relationship between pollen concentrations and short-acting β2-agonist bronchodilator sales in central France: a daily time-series analysis over a 5-year period
Résumé
Seasonal asthma may be associated with pollen exposure [1], but the pollens responsible for these exacerbations are not well known. The association between ambient pollen and asthma reflected in emergency department visits and hospitalisations, although studied intensively, has shown inconsistent results [2–4]. In contrast to these infrequent events, short-acting β2-agonists (SABA) are widely used by patients experiencing increased respiratory symptoms, which translates into increased sales. Respiratory drug sales have been successfully used in ecological studies to illustrate the relationship between asthma and outdoor air pollution [5]. This study is intended to test the relationship between exposure to outdoor pollen in the general population of a continental climate medium-sized town in the centre of France, and SABA sales, over a 5-year period.