THE ESSENTIAL
- “Thunderstorm asthma” was first described in the 1980s in England and Australia
- Not everyone with the risk factors develops “thunderstorm asthma”.
–
Haute-Loire, Rhône, Doubs, Jura… On June 30, ten French departments were placed on orange alert because of the risk of thunderstorms. Bad news for adults with asthma or hay fever. After the passage of violent storms, these patients can see the onset or worsening of their asthma attacks. This phenomenon is called “storm asthma”. This was revealed by researchers from the University of Melbourne, Australia, in a study published in the journal The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
What is “thunderstorm asthma”?
“Thunderstorm asthma” can occur in all asthma patients, but it most commonly affects people with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Thunderstorms can aggravate asthma because of cold currents that concentrate air particles, such as pollen and mold. In a statement, the team explained that these particles were carried up into the clouds where the humidity is high. In clouds, their size is reduced, allowing particles to easily enter the nose, sinuses and lungs.
Factors favoring the risk of suffering from “thunderstorm asthma”
“Thunderstorm-associated asthma outbreaks have had devastating effects on patients and emergency services. Seasonal allergic rhinitis is present in the vast majority of people who develop thunderstorm asthma, but there is little evidence regarding risk factors for thunderstorm asthma”, wrote the scientists in the works.
To identify the factors favoring the risk of suffering from “thunderstorm asthma”, the authors recruited 228 Australians suffering from seasonal allergies. According to the results, 144 of them said they had suffered from “thunderstorm asthma”. Nearly half of patients who had a seizure received emergency hospital treatment.
According to research, risk factors for “thunderstorm asthma” are poorly controlled respiratory disease symptoms, a low rapid exhalation test score, and higher levels of certain antibodies (pollen-specific IgE). Other causes: higher numbers of certain blood cells and higher levels of exhaled nitric oxide (a measure of lung inflammation in people with asthma).
The researchers reported that this phenomenon could be a serious threat to public health.
