HETEROGENEITY OF ATOPY .1. CLINICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICSOF PATIENTS ALLERGIC TO CYPRESS POLLEN

The heterogeneity of pollen-allergic persons is well known but poorly characterized. Cypress is one of the major pollen-producing plants of the Mediterranean area. A study was undertaken to characterize the sym ptoms presented by patients allergic to cypress pollen and the heterog eneity of the IgE immune response between patients allergic only to cy press pollen and those who are polysensitized. Eighty-nine patients al lergic to cypress pollen were studied, 26 being allergic only to cypre ss pollen. The IgE response was assessed by skin prick tests and the t itration of serum total IgE and cypress-specific IgE by RAST. Clinical reactivity was assessed by symptom scores during the cypress pollen s eason and skin tests. Pollen counts were obtained. The clinical reacti vity was similar in both patient groups. Rhinitis was present in all p atients, conjunctivitis in 73.7-88.5 %, and asthma in only 7.4-19.2%. The age of onset of symptoms caused by cypress pollen allergy was sign ificantly greater in patients allergic to cypress pollen only. Total s erum IgE was within the normal range in the cypress pollen group and s ignificantly lower than in the polysensitized groups. Cypress pollen R AST was higher in the polysensitized group. We concluded that conjunct ivitis is particularly common in cypress pollen allergy. Patients alle rgic only to cypress pollen may be unique in their way of expressing s erum total IgE levels.