Persistent allergic rhinitis and indoor air quality perception – an experimental approach Introduction Urban populations are spending increasing periods of time indoors because of changes in lifestyle which have taken place in the last decades. The high prevalence of respiratory atopic diseases in Western countries (Downs et al., 2001; Matricardi, 2001) and the susceptibility of atopic individuals to indoor pollution (Gustafsson et al., 1996; Runeson et al., 2003) make indoor air quality (IAQ) a matter of increasing concern in most industrialized countries. IAQ-related problems are the environmental health issue most commonly faced by clinicians (Ledford, 1994), but factors associated with perceived IAQ are complex and include temperature, humidity, air-exchange rates, odors, contaminants, and labor- and host-related factors (Zhang and Smith, 2003). More importantly, the use of air-conditioning systems is consistently associated with respiratory symptoms when compared with natural ventilation (Mendell and Smith, 1990). Atopy is also a consistent risk factor for the development of building-related respiratory complaints (Bjornsson et al., 1998; Brooks, 1994). Interestingly, studies of adult populations in non-residential and non-industrial environments find no association between allergenic exposure and building-related symptoms (Graudenz et al., 2002; Menzies et al., 1997, 1999; Menzres et al., 1996). On the other hand, there is increasing evidence that temperature and relative humidity are determinants of IAQ-related Abstract In order to compare patterns of indoor air perception, including per- ceptions of temperature, air movement, indoor air quality (IAQ), mental con- centration, and comfort, 33 subjects either with persistent allergic rhinitis or controls were exposed to different temperatures and constant relative humidity in an experimental office environment. Results were obtained by means of a self- administered visual analogue scale, analyzed using mean score comparisons and principal component analysis. At 14°C, the rhinitis group reported higher scores for sensations of air dryness than controls. At 18°C, in the rhinitis group, there was a correlation between dry, stagnant air, and difficult mental concentration. This group also correlated heat, dry air, and poor IAQ, in contrast to the control group, which correlated comfort, easy mental concentration, and freshness. At 22°C, the rhinitis group correlated heat, dryness, stagnant air, and overall dis- comfort. This group also correlated non-dry air, freshness, and comfort, whereas the control group correlated heat, humidity, good indoor air, freshness, and comfort. This study suggests that the rhinitis group perceives indoor tempera- tures of 14°C as dryer than controls do, and that at 18 and 22°C this group positively correlates different adverse perceptions of IAQ. G. S. Graudenz 1 , M. R. D. O. Latorre 2 , A. Tribess 3 , C. H. Oliveira 4 , J. Kalil 1 1 Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, 2 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, 3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic School, University of S¼o Paulo, S¼o Paulo, 4 Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University of San Francisco, BraganÅa Paulista, SP, Brazil Key words: Indoor air quality; Building-related illness; Air conditioning; Experimental studies. Gustavo Silveira Graudenz Rua Girassol 1317/21 CEP 05433–002 S¼o Paulo, Brazil Tel.: (55 11) 98510844 Fax: (55 11) 30321019 e-mail: gustavog@usp.br Received for review 23 June 2005. Accepted for publication 10 February 2006. Ó Indoor Air (2006) Practical Implications By means of a self-administered questionnaire in an experimental condition, the present study compares subjective patterns of indoor air perception from individuals with respiratory allergy (allergic rhinitis) to control individuals. It reports different patterns of perception of indoor air quality (IAQ) between the two groups, suggesting that allergic individuals could have different IAQ perception. Indoor Air 2006; 16: 313–319 www.blackwellpublishing.com/ina Printed in Singapore. All rights reserved Copyright Ó Blackwell Munksgaard 2006 INDOOR AIR doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2006.00428.x 313