Mp. Borres et al., PERIPHERAL-BLOOD EOSINOPHILIA IN INFANTS AT 3 MONTHS OF AGE IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT OF ATOPIC DISEASE IN EARLY-CHILDHOOD, Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 95(3), 1995, pp. 694-698
Background: We tested the hypothesis that eosinophilia in peripheral b
lood and nasal mucosa of infants is an early sign of allergic disease.
Methods. The appearance of eosinophilic leukocytes in peripheral bloo
d and nasal mucosa was studied prospectively in 67 infants up to 18 mo
nths of age, with or without a family history of atopy. Results: eosin
ophilia was associated with simultaneous presence or subsequent develo
pment of atopic disease at 3, 9, and 18 months of age, but not signifi
cantly so at 6 months. At 3 months children in whom atopic disease dev
eloped later during the observation period had significantly higher nu
mbers of blood eosinophils than children without atopy (p < 0.01). Thu
s pronounced eosinophilia (> 7 x 10(8) cells/L) at that age was associ
ated with moderate or severe allergic disease during the 18-month obse
rvation period. These children continued to have eosinophilia througho
ut the follow-up period. Blood eosinophilia at 3 months of age also co
rrelated significantly to cord blood IgE levels and to skin prick test
reactivity later during the follow-up period. Nasal eosinophilia was
a common finding and therefore had little diagnostic or predictive val
ue. Conclusions: Elevated eosinophil counts in peripheral blood of app
arently healthy infants at 3 months of age is associated with a subseq
uent diagnosis of atopic disease.