Presence Of Wheeze Research Articles

Respiratory allergy to ragweed: Correlation of bronchial responses to allergen with bronchial responses to histamine and circulating immunoglobulin E

Flow-volume loops were recorded before and after quantitative inhalation of increasing concentrations of histamine (H) and ragweed (R) in 26 subjects allergic to ragweed. A threshold response (TR) was defined by a change in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV 1 ) greater than -10% and the presence of wheezing. In 20 subjects with reproducible TRR and TRH, 14 with asthma and hay fever and six with hay fever only, we measured: (1) total IgE with a solid-phase (paper radioimmunosorbent test [PRIST]) and a double-antibody assay; and (2) specific IgE with four tests using as solid phase paper disks (commerical or laboratory prepared radioallergosorbent test [RAST]), microcellulose, and sepharose. The double-antibody assay and PRIST produced highly correlated results (r = 0.94), but total IgE was not related to TRR. Although the four tests for specific IgE gave highly correlated results, they did not correlate with TRR or TRH. There was a linear correlation between TRH and TRR (r = 0.71). When compared with the corresponding slope reported in sensitized guinea pigs, TRR/TRH was shifted toward lower antigen doses. In summary: (1) in opposition to total or specific IgE, histamine airway responses may be important in the bronchial localization of allergic reactions to ragweed; and (2) the airways seem to be more sensitive to allergen in spontaneous asthma in humans than in anaphylactic “asthma” in guinea pigs.