Seasonal variation in total and pollen-specific immunoglobulin E levels in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey.

Several small-scale studies limited to allergic patients have reported higher IgE sensitization rates or higher specific IgE (sIgE) level to pollens during or following the pollen season compared to out of pollen season 1-4 . However, to the best of our knowledge, such studies have not been conducted in larger, more representative populations. Evidence shows that climate change may lead to changes in the pollen seasons for both grass and birch (earlier start and higher counts) 5 but the likely impact of such changes on sensitisation to these pollens is unknown.