IGE-MEDIATED ALLERGIC REACTION IN DRUG-INDUCED ASTHMA

Immunoallergological studies were carried out to clarify the differenc es 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 anti bodies to house dust (IID) and C. albicans, bronchial sensitivity and leukotriene B-4 (LTB(4)) synthesis from peripheral venous blood in pat ients 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 s ignificantly lower in DIA than in non-DIA. These results agree with th e reports that DIA was often observed in non-atopic asthma. But, the m ean value of serum IgE was very high in DIA as well as in non-DIA. Thi s result suggests that IgE mediated reaction in DIA is important. Furt hermore, the proportion of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was significantly lower in DIA than in non-DIA. Our findings s uggest that. a decrease of intrapulmonary neutrophils might play an im portant role in the pathophysiology of DIA.