MITE AND CAT ALLERGEN LEVELS IN HOMES AND SEVERITY OF ASTHMA

The relationships between mite and cat allergen levels in the home, sk in test reactivity, and severity of asthma were explored in 120 asthma tic subjects, 57 in Vancouver and 63 in Winnipeg. Patients in the two cities were similar in age, gender distribution, and severity of asthm a. Skin tests were performed using 13 common allergens, including D. p teronyssinus, D. farinae, and cat dander, as well as control subjects. Patients recorded their asthma symptoms, medication requirement, and twice daily peak expiratory flow rate for 1 yr. Dust samples were coll ected every 3 mo during each season of 1992 through 1993 in both citie s. Mite and cat allergen levels were determined with an ELISA using mo noclonal antibodies against Der p I, Der f I, and Fel d I. There was n o relationship between skin test reactivity and levels of mite and cat allergens. In children with positive skin tests to either mite allerg en, total mite (sum of Der p I and Der f I) allergen level was positiv ely related to the mean daily symptom score and negatively related to the daily mean PEF (% of predicted). There was no such relationship am ong adult asthmatic patients with positive skin tests to either mite a llergen. No relationship was found between cat allergen level and the severity of asthma.