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thunderstorm asthma
Etiology:
- risk factors
- sensitivity to rye grass pollen
- peripheral eosinophilia
Epidemiology:
- most cases reported in Australia
- combination of wind, humidity, & lightning ruptures grass pollen & mold spores & aerosolizes them
History:
- worse asthma control scores a risk factor
- grass pollen allergy a risk factor for hospitalization
Laboratory:
- complete blood count (CBC)
- eosinophil count > 300/uL*
- high fraction of exhaled nitric oxide*
* risk factors
Special laboratory:
- FEV1 < 90% of predicted a risk factor for hospitalization
General
acute asthma; asthma exacerbation
References
- Douglass JA et al.
Thunderstorm asthma in seasonal allergic rhinitis: The TAISAR study.
J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022 May; 149:1607.
PMID: 34774618
https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(21)01689-4/fulltext