Bet v 1 Allergen Is the Main Driver of Disease in Patients with Pollen Allergy in Belgium

Birch pollen-sensitized patients co-sensitized to Bet v 1 and Bet v 2 allergens present more frequent and severe respiratory or plant-related food allergy symptoms (PFASs). This study analyzed the relevance of Bet v 1 and profilin sensitization in the clinical phenotype of pollen-allergic patients in Belgium. Ten patients allergic to birch pollen (BPA), 31 to grass pollen (GPA) and 33 to both pollens (MPA), with rhino-conjunctivitis with/without asthma (ARRC), were evaluated by means of questionnaire, skin-prick tests and specific IgE assays. Half of GPA were co-sensitized to birch pollen, and no BPA were sensitized to profilin. The prevalence of asthma and pollen-related food allergy syndrome (PFAS) was higher in BPA than in MPA or GPA, with a higher severity of PFAS in asthmatic BPA. GPA with PFAS were more frequently sensitized to Bet v 1, with higher levels of rBet v 1-IgE. The prevalence of PFAS, together with the duration of rhinitis and PFAS tended to increase in profilin-polysensitized vs. mono- and un-sensitized GPA, regardless of Bet v 1-IgE and the severity of symptoms.