Hay fever link to stroke
Friday May 30th, 2008
Being a hay fever sufferer is linked to an increased risk for stroke, according to alarming new findings.
US researchers say the risk of stroke for people with a history of allergic rhinitis - or hay fever - is nearly doubled.
The findings suggest those who use antihistamines may be at particular risk - possibly reflecting the seriousness of their condition.
The findings follow on from research linking asthma to stroke. Other research has warned of a small link between allergy and another brain condition, Parkinson's disease. One possible cause is the effect of chronic inflammation.
Researchers from South Carolina, USA, studied more than 9,000 middle-aged and elderly adults, of whom some 125 suffered strokes.
Some 2.2 per cent of hay fever sufferers were also stroke patients - compared with 1.25 per cent of others.
Writing in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, the doctors, led by Dr Eric Matheson, call for "research and intervention".
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine 21 (3): 179-183 (2008)
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Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Brain & Neurology
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