CLIMATE change presents an escalating global health concern, with its impact particularly pronounced in otolaryngology. Global warming has been directly linked to exacerbating inflammatory upper airway conditions, especially allergic rhinitis (AR). A recent scoping review aimed to characterise this effect of climate change on the epidemiology of AR across adult and paediatric populations worldwide.
Conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, the study involved a comprehensive literature search across four major databases. Articles published in English between 2000 and 2023 were included if they reported on AR epidemiology, described climate change-related factors, and observed global warming’s effect on allergy season and AR symptoms. Two independent reviewers meticulously screened and performed full-text reviews of the identified literature.
Out of 502 articles initially assessed, 30 studies met the strict eligibility criteria for inclusion. A significant finding was that sixteen of these studies directly reported longer pollen seasons and/or higher pollen concentrations in relation to climate change. Notably, two studies projected substantial increases for North America alone, predicting total pollen emissions to rise by 16–40% and the pollen season length to extend by approximately 19 days.
The review also highlighted the societal burden; four studies indicated an increase in AR-related healthcare usage, with a disproportionate impact observed on low-income residents. Furthermore, two studies identified a clear desire among healthcare professionals for more education regarding climate change’s implications for health.
In conclusion, this study underlines how climate change is profoundly altering pollen seasons and concentrations, alongside influencing AR disease prevalence, allergy sensitisation, and symptom severity. Crucially, it reveals that health professionals recognise this impact and are actively seeking further education to better address these evolving challenges in clinical practice.
Reference
Pershad AR et al. How climate change is impacting allergic rhinitis: a scoping review. Laryngoscope. 2025;DOI:10.1002/lary.32124.
