Study of recent yearly trend of increase in airborne pollen of Japanese cedar and cypress pollen

BACKGROUND: Based on epidemiological studies of prevalence, sensitization as well as pollen survey, it is presumed that airborne Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) and cypress (JCyP) have increased progressively for past 40 years. However, because of their large yearly variations, accurate objective and scientific study is required to confirm if it is true or not. METHODS: We analyzed the time trends of JCP and JCy separately in 11 districts throughout Japan where have records of continuous past survey from 1986 to 2005, by regression analysis using net pollen count and their 3 and 5 running means. RESULTS: When significant slope of regression line (regression coefficient) is assumed as p 0.4, significant increase in airborne pollen was revealed in the use of 5 point running mean (6 districts of total 11 in JCP and 5 in JCyP) but not net count or 3 point running mean because of correction of statistic error due to large yearly variations. This study suggested that our method used for analysis of a recent increase in airborne JCP and JCyP was useful and scientific.