Autoimmune phenomena in bronchial asthma

The aim of this study was to assess the autoimmune status of 50 patients wi th bronchial asthma and 20 voluntary subjects as a control group. Patients were considered as having atopic asthma if skin prick test with at least on e of the common aeroallergens was positive, and at least a class 1 concentr ation of specific IgE was present. In addition, a questionnaire on signs an d symptoms of autoimmunity was recorded. All sera were screened for antinuc lear antibodies (ANA), and the hemolytic activity of the complement CH5O wa s measured. Positive ANA results was observed in 32% of the patients and wa s negative in the control group. CH5O level was decreased in 40% of the ato pic asthma patients and in 20% of the control group. Clinical signs of auto immunity were more common among the patients who tested positive for ANA An assessment for autoimmunity may help to better characterize patients with asthma, and to understand the various symptoms of the disease. Any causal r elationship between asthma and autoimmunity remains to be established.