SENSITIVITY TO ASPIRIN - A NEW SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSTIC METHOD

Certain adverse reactions to aspirin (ASA), nonsteroidal anti-inflamma tory drugs (NSAIDs) and pyrazolone derivatives resemble IgE-mediated h ypersensitivity. However, convincing evidence of antigen-antibody inte ractions or inhibition of the cyclooxygenase pathway of arachidonic ac id metabolism, stimulating the production of leukotrienes (LTs) and de creasing the production of prostaglandins (PGs), has not been presente d. In this study, two types of specific IgE antibodies have been found in six serum samples from eight ASA-sensitive patients with salicyloy l and O-methylsalicyloyl disks using the Radio Allergo Sorbent Test (R AST), whereas no positive result could be found with acetylsalicyloyl disks. Further investigation on the specificity of these IgE antibodie s and the chemical structure of their epitopes were performed by cross -inhibition studies. The results are in favor of an IgE-dependent mech anism involved in ASA sensitivity, and suggest that determination of s pecific IgE antibodies would be a safe diagnostic method for ASA sensi tivity in vitro.