ALLERGIES, UPPER RESPIRATORY-TRACT INFECTIONS, AND ASTHMA

The aims of this study were (1) to quantify the prevalence of aeroalle rgen hypersensitivity in presentations for emergency treatment of asth ma and (2) to determine the strength of association between viral uppe r respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and admission for treatment of asthma. A series of 209 asthmatic patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) of the Alfred Hospital over 6 months underwent skin p rick testing and venipuncture for serum IgE and rye grass pollen (RGP) RAST. A case-control study of 38 asthmatic inpatients and 90 controls admitted for road trauma or endoscopy underwent nasopharyngeal aspira tion for viral culture and immunofluorescence (IF). Eighty-four percen t of ED asthmatic patients had one or more positive skin tests to comm on aeroallergens, 57% had a positive skin test, and 45% had a positive RAST to RGP. Viral cultures or IF studies were positive in 8 asthmati c patients and 2 controls. Asthmatic inpatients were 6 times more like ly to have a viral URTI than were controls. It is concluded that aeroa llergen hypersensitivity is present in most asthmatic patients present ing to the ED, and that there is a strong association between viral UR TIs and admission for asthma.