STUDIES ON BRONCHIAL ASTHMA, CONCERNING HISTAMINE RELEASE REACTION

Abstract

The participation of histamine in bronchial asthma was studied.1. The averages of the plasma histamine concentrations of the asthmatic patients with positive skin reaction to the house dust (Group 1), with negative skin reaction (Group II), and of non-asthmatics (Group III) were 11.2, 10.3 and 12.9 mcg/L respectively (as to healthy individuals 12.5 mcg/L), and there were no differences in these groups. The histamine concentrations after in-cubation with the house dust in Group I, II and III were 18.7, 13.3 and 14.5 mcg/L respectively (as to healthy individuals 13.0 mcg/L). A significant his-tamine release was found in Group I, i.e. the asthmatic patients with positive skin reaction, while not in the other groups. This fact indicated that the house dust was the allergen to the asthmatic patients with positive skin reaction to the house dust.2. There was no correlation between the numbers of basophil and eosin-ophil leukocytes in each group.3. There was no correlation between the plasma histamine concentrations and the numbers of eosinophil leukocytes, so this denied the hypothesis that his-tamine could cause the eosinophilia.4. There was no correlation between the plasma histamine concentrations and the number of eosinophil leukocytes.5. In the asthmatic patients with positive skin reaction to the house dust, the decrease of the number of basophil leukocytes was recognized after incuba-tion with the house dust. The significant correlation between the amount of his-tamine released and this decrease was proved.6. The amount of histamine released with the challenge of the house dust proved decrease according to the desensitization therapy.The author is indebted to Professor J. Gomi and Lecturer T. Kimura for instruction and to Dr. Aoyagi and Dr. Y. Yamada for assistance.