IGE-MEDIATED ALLERGIC REACTION IN DRUG-INDUCED ASTHMA

Immunoallergological studies were carried out to clarify the differences between 24 patients with drug-induced asthma (DIA) and 240 with non-drug-induced asthma (non-DIA). The mean values of age, skin reaction to Candida albicans (C. albicans), serum IgE levels, specific IgE antibodies to house dust (IID) and C. albicans, bronchial sensitivity and leukotriene B-4 (LTB(4)) synthesis from peripheral venous blood in patients with DIA were not significantly different from those in patients with non-DIA. In contrast, the frequency of positive skin reaction to HD and histamine release from peripheral basophils by anti-IgE were significantly lower in DIA than in non-DIA. These results agree with the reports that DIA was often observed in non-atopic asthma. But, the mean value of serum IgE was very high in DIA as well as in non-DIA. This result suggests that IgE mediated reaction in DIA is important. Furthermore, the proportion of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was significantly lower in DIA than in non-DIA. Our findings suggest that. a decrease of intrapulmonary neutrophils might play an important role in the pathophysiology of DIA.