Maple Sycamore Tree Allergen Facts, Symptoms, and Treatment
Learn more about common allergic diseases, symptoms, management paradigms, and testing considerations.
Is your patient a candidate for specific IgE testing?
Get detailed information on whole allergens and allergen components.
Ready to test a patient?
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Learn more about common allergic diseases, symptoms, management paradigms, and testing considerations.
Is your patient a candidate for specific IgE testing?
Get detailed information on whole allergens and allergen components.
Ready to test a patient?
Access videos and webinars delivered by key experts in the field of allergy.
The maple sycamore, also called the plane tree, has been introduced into the United States and Canada but is native to western Asia and Europe. The tree is widely known as a sycamore maple, but in Europe it's referred to as simply a sycamore.1 Commonly cultivated as a shade tree, the sycamore maple is moderately allergenic.1,2
Native to Europe and western Asia, maple sycamores have been introduced in Canada and the United States. They thrive in Long Island and Cape Cod, where they're considered an invasive species.1
Many patients with maple sycamore tree allergy can experience symptoms when exposed to other allergens such as tree, weed, or grass pollens, making it difficult to determine which pollen is causing the symptoms, especially when pollen seasons are overlapping. This is called cross-reactivity and occurs when your body's immune system identifies the proteins, or components, in different substances as being structurally similar or biologically related, thus triggering a response. Other respiratory allergens that may cause reactions associated with maple sycamore pollen allergy are tree, weed, and grass pollens.5
If you experience an itchy mouth or throat after eating fresh fruit or raw vegetables, you may suffer from Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), sometimes called Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS). This condition is caused by your immune system's reaction to similar proteins, or components, found in different allergens. It is quite common, with up to 25 percent of children with allergic rhinitis (i.e., hay fever) also suffering from OAS.4 Common foods involved in OAS for maple sycamore pollen allergy include fruits and vegetables such as peach, banana, hazelnut, peanut, and celery.8
Knowing the proteins, or components, within each allergen that are triggering your symptoms can help guide your management plan. With that in mind, and based on your symptom history, your healthcare provider may suggest something called a specific IgE component test, which can help reveal other pollens you may react to. Results from this test can also help your healthcare provider decide if allergen immunotherapy may reduce your symptoms.5
Already have your specific IgE component test results?
Your component test results will include the name of the components (a series of letters and numbers). Your healthcare provider will likely review the results with you, but here you'll find an at-a-glance breakdown you can use as a reference. Simply match the component names to the list below to see what they mean in terms of symptom management.
rPla a 1
rBet v 2, rBet v 4
Test results should be interpreted by your healthcare provider in the context of your clinical history. Final diagnosis and decision on further management is made by your healthcare provider.
*These products may not be approved for clinical use in your country. Please work with your healthcare provider to understand availability.
The management of allergic rhinitis includes avoidance of relevant allergens, symptomatic treatment, and allergen immunotherapy.4,6,7
Maple sycamore tree allergy symptoms can be similar to many other pollen allergies and may include:3,4
If you're sensitized to maple sycamore trees and have asthma, tree pollen may trigger or worsen asthma symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing.3,4
Together with your symptom history, skin-prick testing or specific IgE blood testing can help determine if you are sensitized to a particular allergen. If you are diagnosed with an allergy, your healthcare provider will work with you to create a management plan.
*These products may not be approved for clinical use in your country. Please work with your healthcare provider to understand availability.
While tree pollen is common in the spring, maple sycamores pollinate in spring to summer, depending on latitude and elevation.2,3