Methods: Here we describe a series of 20 patients who accessed to an Emergency Department in Puglia (Italy) for sudden and severe dispnoea between the 27th and the 28th of May 2010 (between 15:36 and 5:02), just after a violent thunderstorm which occurred after a very warm morning (mean atmospheric temperature: 29°C ). All patients have been subsequently visited by an allergist and underwent a complete allergological work-up which included skin prick tests and a careful clinical history record. Data from atmospheric pollen count were recorded.
Results: In the months between 10th of May and 10th of June 2010, a total of 86 accesses to same Emergency Department were recorded for asthma exacerbations, 20 of them during the studied day.Patients’ mean age was 44.25 +/- 18.5 years (range: 9-81), 8/20 females, 2 smokers, 16 with a previous history of known respiratory allergy. All 20 patients were sensitized to Olea europaea pollen, 7 of which were monosensitized. Other sensitizations were: 10 patients to grass, 7 to parietaria, 5 to compositae, 5 to cypress, 5 to house dust mites, 3 to dog and 1 to cat danders. Mean atmospheric pollen count was 170 granules/m3 for Olea europaea and 60 granules/m3 for grass pollen.
Conclusions: This is, in our knowledge, the second thunderstorm-related asthma episode described in Mediterranean area and the first one in which sensitization to Olea europaea played a key-role. This result should focus the possibility that not only the increase of molds and grass pollen load after a thunderstorm may arise asthma exacerbations.