Bergmann Karl-Christian, Sehlinger Torsten, Gildemeister Julia, Zuberbier Torsten
Allergy-Centrum-Charité, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Bluestone Technology GmbH, Woerrstadt, Germany.
Allergo J Int. 2017;26(1):1-6. doi: 10.1007/s40629-016-0001-z. Epub 2016 Nov 16.
Allergenic pollen exposure is mostly seen as an outdoor phenomenon but studies have shown an indoor exposure: different pollen species including birch and grass pollen in houses, schools, and shops are leading to long-lasting symptoms even after the pollen season because pollen settle on surfaces and re-enter the indoor air depending on ventilation. To reduce indoor pollen load, windows need to be closed and devices should be used: as pure wiping and cleaning of surfaces is mostly not sufficient, air cleaners may be helpful in reducing pollen counts in indoor environment.
The efficacy of an air cleaner is usually described by the filtration rate of standard dust particle sizes which is not necessarily related to clinical efficacy.
A novel study design was developed using the technical equipment of a new mobile exposure chamber to investigate participants with allergic rhinitis (individual observational, controlled, prospective, single arm study).
The tested air cleaner reduced the grass pollen-induced (4000 grass pollen/m over 90 min) nasal symptoms (total nasal symptom score) significantly from 6 and 4 points (1st and 2nd exposure in sham run) to less than 1 point when air cleaner was activated.
The novel study protocol is suitable for testing efficacy of air cleaners and the tested air cleaner is effective in reducing clinical symptoms due to grass pollen in an indoor environment.
致敏花粉暴露大多被视为一种室外现象，但研究表明室内也存在暴露情况：包括房屋、学校和商店内的桦树花粉和草花粉在内的不同花粉种类，即使在花粉季节过后仍会导致长期症状，因为花粉会沉降在表面，并根据通风情况重新进入室内空气。为了减少室内花粉负荷，需要关闭窗户并使用相关设备：由于单纯擦拭和清洁表面大多是不够的，空气净化器可能有助于降低室内环境中的花粉数量。
空气净化器的功效通常用标准灰尘颗粒大小的过滤率来描述，而这不一定与临床疗效相关。
利用新型移动暴露舱的技术设备开发了一种新的研究设计，以调查变应性鼻炎患者（个体观察性、对照、前瞻性、单臂研究）。
经测试的空气净化器在启动后，可将草花粉诱发的（90分钟内每立方米4000粒草花粉）鼻部症状（总鼻部症状评分）从假运行中的6分和4分（第一次和第二次暴露）显著降低至不到1分。
这种新的研究方案适用于测试空气净化器的功效，且经测试的空气净化器在减少室内环境中草花粉引起的临床症状方面是有效的。
