[Allergy to ragweed in the Rhone-Alpes and consumption of anti-allergics].

OBJECTIVE

To measure evolution and cost consumption of anti-allergic medicines during ragweed pollen-period, geographic trend in the locations of anti-allergic consumers. Ragweed is highly spread in Rhone Alps.

METHODS

We measured the ratio: number of boxes of anti-allergic medicines per one thousand patients between 6 and 64 years, refunded by twelve local health offices in the Rhone Alps area. We obtained statistical mapping for consumers of triamcinolone, we analysed in the relation to weakly ragweed pollen figures.

RESULTS

Four geographic areas showed high increases of antihistaminic consumption from the middle of august to the end of september during the four years studied. A threefold increase of consumption of antihistaminic medicines, anti-allergic eye-drops and anti-allergic nasals topics was observed during ragweed pollen-period (week 33 to week 40). Antihistaminic consumption ratios increased in relation with ragweed pollen-period This study demonstrated that the anti-allergic medicines consumption reflected the image of ragweed allergy. This sanitary feature is easily obtained from the refunded databases of Medical Insurance.