PREVALENCE OF ATOPY IN AN INNER-CITY ASTHMATIC POPULATION

Seventy-three patients at The Mount Sinai Hospital Emergency Room were investigated to determine the prevalence of atopy in asthma in a pred ominantly black and Hispanic inner-city population. Serum IgE levels a nd radioallergosorbent tests (RASTs) to eight common inhalant allergen s were measured in both the asthmatic group and a nonasthmatic emergen cy-room control group. The mean total IgE level for the asthma group w as 263.8 IU/mL compared to 63.8 IU/mL in the control group (p = 0.032) , and 60% of the asthmatics had IgE level s in the atopic range (> 100 IU/mL). Increases in IgE were associated with age under 50 years but did not reach statistical significance. Cockroach, dust mite, cat, and dog were the most common RASTs in.the asthmatic group; there were no positive RASTs in the control group. There was a correlation (p = 0.04 ) between age (less than 50 years) and increased numbers of positive R ASTs. These results are similar to those of other studies that have as sociated atopy with asthma in rural and suburban populations. These da ta demonstrate that atopy is common in the asthmatic patients seen in The Mount Sinai Hospital Emergency Room and strongly suggest that mana gement of atopic factors should become routine in the care of adult as thmatic patients.