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Cognitive dysfunction and quality of life during pollen season in children with seasonal allergic rhinitis

Papapostolou, Georgia LU orcid ; Kiotseridis, Hampus LU ; Romberg, Kerstin LU ; Dahl, Åslög ; Bjermer, Leif LU ; Lindgren, Magnus LU ; Aronsson, David LU ; Tunsäter, Alf LU and Tufvesson, Ellen LU (2021) In Pediatric Allergy and Immunology 32(1). p.67-76
Abstract

Background: Allergic rhinitis often gives rise to impaired quality of life and is believed to also affect cognitive function. We aimed to examine whether cognitive functions were impaired during grass pollen season in symptomatic allergic children and to relate the degree of impairment to quality of life and biomarkers related to stress and inflammation. Methods: Forty-three grass pollen-allergic children (age 8-17 years) with non-satisfactory effect of medication (antihistamines and nasal steroids daily) during previous seasons were included. In addition, 26 matched non-allergic children were included as controls. Both groups performed cognitive tests (CANTAB) and completed Quality of Life questionnaires outside and during the pollen... (More)

Background: Allergic rhinitis often gives rise to impaired quality of life and is believed to also affect cognitive function. We aimed to examine whether cognitive functions were impaired during grass pollen season in symptomatic allergic children and to relate the degree of impairment to quality of life and biomarkers related to stress and inflammation. Methods: Forty-three grass pollen-allergic children (age 8-17 years) with non-satisfactory effect of medication (antihistamines and nasal steroids daily) during previous seasons were included. In addition, 26 matched non-allergic children were included as controls. Both groups performed cognitive tests (CANTAB) and completed Quality of Life questionnaires outside and during the pollen season. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for stress and inflammatory biomarkers. Pollen level was measured daily. Results: Impaired cognitive function was found in spatial working memory, where the allergic group made more errors compared to the non-allergic group during pollen season, but not off-season. No significant differences could be seen between the allergic group and the controls in the other tests investigating visual memory or attention. Quality of health questionnaires revealed more symptoms and impaired quality of life in allergic compared to non-allergic children, and increased symptoms in allergic children were associated with longer reaction time for simple movement during pollen season. No differences in stress or inflammatory biomarkers could be found between the groups. Conclusion: Cognitive function was affected during pollen season in pollen-allergic children, and the more symptoms the allergic children had, the longer the reaction time in the cognitive tests.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
allergic rhinitis, biomarker, Cognitive function, pollen season, quality of life
in
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
volume
32
issue
1
pages
67 - 76
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85089964270
  • pmid:32767782
ISSN
0905-6157
DOI
10.1111/pai.13328
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dc959c2b-ddfe-48c2-9f2f-c749964917bf
date added to LUP
2020-09-25 12:44:22
date last changed
2024-04-17 15:35:51
@article{dc959c2b-ddfe-48c2-9f2f-c749964917bf,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Allergic rhinitis often gives rise to impaired quality of life and is believed to also affect cognitive function. We aimed to examine whether cognitive functions were impaired during grass pollen season in symptomatic allergic children and to relate the degree of impairment to quality of life and biomarkers related to stress and inflammation. Methods: Forty-three grass pollen-allergic children (age 8-17 years) with non-satisfactory effect of medication (antihistamines and nasal steroids daily) during previous seasons were included. In addition, 26 matched non-allergic children were included as controls. Both groups performed cognitive tests (CANTAB) and completed Quality of Life questionnaires outside and during the pollen season. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for stress and inflammatory biomarkers. Pollen level was measured daily. Results: Impaired cognitive function was found in spatial working memory, where the allergic group made more errors compared to the non-allergic group during pollen season, but not off-season. No significant differences could be seen between the allergic group and the controls in the other tests investigating visual memory or attention. Quality of health questionnaires revealed more symptoms and impaired quality of life in allergic compared to non-allergic children, and increased symptoms in allergic children were associated with longer reaction time for simple movement during pollen season. No differences in stress or inflammatory biomarkers could be found between the groups. Conclusion: Cognitive function was affected during pollen season in pollen-allergic children, and the more symptoms the allergic children had, the longer the reaction time in the cognitive tests.</p>}},
  author       = {{Papapostolou, Georgia and Kiotseridis, Hampus and Romberg, Kerstin and Dahl, Åslög and Bjermer, Leif and Lindgren, Magnus and Aronsson, David and Tunsäter, Alf and Tufvesson, Ellen}},
  issn         = {{0905-6157}},
  keywords     = {{allergic rhinitis; biomarker; Cognitive function; pollen season; quality of life}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{67--76}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Pediatric Allergy and Immunology}},
  title        = {{Cognitive dysfunction and quality of life during pollen season in children with seasonal allergic rhinitis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pai.13328}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/pai.13328}},
  volume       = {{32}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}