Correlation between conjunctival provocation test results and conjunctival symptoms in pollinosis - preliminary report

The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between the level of reactivity in conjunctival provocation test and conjunctival symptoms that develop during the pollination season in grass allergic patients. Conjunctival provocation test with grass pollen allergens was performed in 22 patients suffering from pollinosis. During grass pollination season all patients monitored their symptoms with Symptoms Score Cards. A parallel measurement of the level of grass pollen count was carried out on a daily basis by volumetric method. The mean grass pollen count which triggered the reaction in individual patients depended on the results of conjunctival provocation test. The lowest pollen count level was observed in cases of patients with positive conjunctival provocation test at low allergen extract concentration of 160 and 500 BU/ml, whereas the highest count in cases of 1,600 BU/ml. The difference between the results was found to be statistically significant. A threshold grass pollen concentration for conjunctival symptoms was established at the level of 22 grains/m3. We conclude that the patients with pollinosis and high reactivity in conjunctival provocation test develop conjunctival symptoms earlier during grass pollination season than the patients who are characterised by lower reactivity during conjunctival provocation test.