Airborne pollen is becoming an increasingly important aerosol, driven by rising allergy prevalence and intensifying pollen seasons due to climate change.
While its links to ocular and respiratory symptoms are well established, the broader systemic health effects of pollen remain insufficiently understood. In her research, Alexandra Bürgler advanced this field by uncovering a non-linear association between airborne pollen exposure and elevated blood pressure.
Using data from the EPOCHAL panel study of 400 adults in the Basel region, she showed that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure rise with increasing pollen concentrations in allergic individuals —even at low levels—with stronger effects among women and those with obesity.
By integrating high-resolution environmental data with repeated clinical measurements, her study identifies pollen as a potential systemic health stressor whose impact extends beyond its known respiratory effects.
Bürgler A., Luyten A. Glick S., Kwiatkowski M., Gehrig R., Beigi M., Hartmann K., Eeftens M. (2024) Association between short-term pollen exposure and blood pressure in adults: A repeated-measures study. Environmental Research, 256 (119224). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.119224
Information:
Dr. Alexandra Bürgler, Postdoctoral Scientific Collaborator, Unit of Environmental Exposures and Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute,
Press Summary: 
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