ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC IGE ANTIBODY AND CYTOGRAM IN MUCOSA OF THE NOSE AND SINUS

Maxillary sinus mucosa from sinusitis patients (n = 60) and nasal muco sa from the inferior turbinates of hypertrophic rhinitis patients (n = 31) were collected to detect the appearance of tissue dust mite-speci fic IgE antibody and increase in eosinophils, mast cells, and plasma c ells. The serum levels of total IgE and dust mite-specific IgE antibod y were significantly greater in atopic patients than in nonatopic pati ents, whereas tissue specific IgE antibody was elevated in turbinate m ucosa but not in sinus mucosa. Eosinophils and basophilic cells in epi thelial scrapings from the inferior turbinates, assessed by Hansel sta in, increased in about 85% of atopic patients with hypertrophic rhinit is (n = 16) and 60% of atopic patients with chronic sinusitis (n = 12) . The increase in eosinophils, mast cells, and plasma cells was more p revalent in the turbinate mucosa of atopic patients than in that of no natopics, but there was no such increase in sinus mucosa. We conclude that the maxillary sinuses may not be the target organ of type I aller gic reaction and antigen-specific IgE antibody is probably produced by the local lymphoid tissue.