Ragweed allergies?
If you can't beat 'em, join us.

Information for new participants

Every summer, millions of North Americans are miserable from mid-August to the first frost. One in five people suffers from ragweed hay fever, or allergic rhinitis.

Far more than a nuisance, ragweed allergy can be a disabling condition. The cost of suffering from ragweed hay fever is measured in lost work time, the expenses of diagnosis and treatment and the misery that ragweed-allergy sufferers encounter every summer.

The cause is a tiny ragweed pollen grain that's invisible to the naked eye and carried freely by the wind. Just one ragweed plant can produce more than a billion grains in a season. Beginning in August, ragweed flowers release pollen grains to fertilize other ragweed plants. As we breathe, the pollen clings to the moist linings of our noses, eyes and lungs.

In people with ragweed hay fever, the body senses pollen as a foreign invader and releases histamines and other chemicals. These defensive chemicals produce the well-known symptoms of ragweed allergy: red eyes and nose, runny and stuffed-up nose, puffy eyes, sneezing and itchy nose and throat. Although ragweed allergy occurs in young children and older adults, it is more common in adolescents and young adults.

The Kingston area is prime ragweed-pollen country because of its fertile agricultural surroundings. Perhaps not surprisingly then, Kingston is home to a highly regarded medical facility that studies ways to help allergy sufferers cope. The Environmental Exposure Unit (EEU), located at Kingston General Hospital, is world renowned for its unique technology and research methods. The EEU's researchers welcome volunteers who are allergic to ragweed to participate in their studies.

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Testing the effectiveness of allergy medications.

The EEU at a glance.

At first glance, the Environmental Exposure Unit (EEU) is simply a room with a large seating area. In fact, this well-controlled environment is one of the best places in the world to test the effectiveness of allergy medications.

The key is a unique combination of technology and process. Outside air is brought in and purified to remove dusts and other contaminants. Allergens such as ragweed pollen are released into the room through a feeder while state-of-the-art electronics control concentration and dispersion rate. Researchers regularly check the pollen levels to ensure that they are consistent throughout the room and that all participants are equally exposed. Participants record any symptoms they have.

The atmosphere in the EEU is friendly and relaxed. Participants watch movies, listen to the radio, do homework, talk with other participants and enjoy good meals and snacks. "From our allergy study participants' point of view, being in the EEU feels just like the outdoors during pollen season," says Dr. Jodan Ratz, Director of Clinical Research. "But from a scientist's point of view, it's even better. The unit simulates natural outdoor pollen conditions with none of the unpredictable weather factors that can interfere with the evaluation of medications."

In an outdoor environment, the level of pollen in the air varies widely, making it difficult to know just how much pollen people have been exposed to. Pollen levels are influenced by many factors: speed and direction of the wind, humidity and rain. Also, the amount of allergy-causing potential of pollen varies widely from year to year.

By controlling these physical factors, the EEU system enables research trials to be consistent. Research participants also contribute significantly to the reliability of EEU results. EEU researchers have shown that people can detect subtle differences in their responses to different medications and doses.

When EEU studies are repeated, the results are similar - even when trials are conducted in different seasons and years apart. This means that conclusions drawn from EEU research are highly reliable and can be applied in medical practice.

Says Dr. Day: "The EEU's capacity for reproducibility of results is unique, providing clear evidence of efficacy of treatment when it exists."

In addition to helping to develop better treatments, EEU research has enhanced understanding of the mechanics of allergy. The EEU team has learned that some people react more quickly than others and that reactivity in individuals can change significantly over time. The team applies their growing understanding of the mechanics of allergy with the EEU to "awaken" allergic responses through controlled exposures to allergens before research trials. Known as "priming", these prior exposures ensure that participants are reactive outside of the natural ragweed season. This enables EEU studies to be conducted throughout the year.

Volunteers' top questions answered.

Questions and Answers

How do I pass my time in the EEU?
In the EEU you can watch movies, listen to music, study and enjoy good food in a comfortable environment. You are with other allergic people, but the room is not crowded. You record your symptoms and responses to medication at intervals with instruction from EEU staff.

What will participating in EEU studies do to my allergies?
Experience in EEU studies does not appear to influence sensitivity to ragweed pollen.

How do I get involved?
If you have a history of allergic symptoms in late summer and live in Kingston, call 613-546-5300 to have your name added to our contact list. In other parts of eastern Ontario, call the EEU's toll-free number: 1-877-6POLLEN. When a new study is announced, we will send you a letter with our contact information or post advertisements asking you to contact us. If you are eligible for the study, you will then have a simple skin test to determine whether you are allergic to ragweed. If you are allergic to ragweed, you will also receive a health examination by a physician to determine whether you are able to participate.

Will I be compensated for my time?
You will receive an honorarium for expenses and the time you contribute to an EEU study.