BASOPHIL COUNT IN NEONATES IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ATOPY PREDICTIVITY

Basophil granulocytes and their mediators are involved in the pathogen esis of allergic inflammation. We evaluated basophil count, blood hist amine content, eosinophil count and serum total IgE levels in one hund red-thirteen healthy newborns at birth. 102 children were prospectivel y studied with a follow up to 18 months of age for development of atop ic disorders. No difference was found in newborns with biparental fami ly history of atopy (FHA) in comparison with newborns with monoparenta l FHA and with newborns without FHA. Children who developed atopic dis orders had neonatal basophil counts higher than those who did not deve lop atopic symptoms (p = 0.03). No significant correlation was found b etween basophil and eosinophil counts (r(s) = 0.013), between basophil count and serum fetal IgE levels (r(s) = 0.012) and between basophil count and blood histamine content. Positive predictive value and sensi tivity of basophil count for allergy up to 18 months of age was only 3 3% and 27%, respectively. Our data indicate that an increased basophil count at birth is not associated with FHA and is not a good predictiv e marker of atopy.