In order to determine the prevalence of airborne mould sensitization and the reliability of the in vitro diagnostic techniques in daily practice (antigen-specific IgE and histamine release test), we performed a 3-year study in 2,200 patients diagnosed with rhinosinusitis and/or bronchial asthma. We found mould sensitization in 101 patients, 20% of whom presented monosensitization against airborne moulds, and the rest associated other sensitizations as follows: 53.7% against Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, 45% against grass pollen and 30% against Olea europea. The most frequently involved moulds in our patients were Alternaria and Cladosporium. Seventy-six percent of the patients presented sensitization against Alternaria, 56% of whom were monosensitized, 26% presented cosensitization to Cladosporium and the remainder were sensitive to more than two moulds. Regarding Cladosporium, the percentage of patients was similar (66%), although only 23% were monosensitized and 46% presented an associated sensitization against Alternaria. We also observed a correlation between skin tests and both in vitro diagnostic techniques, with a relative sensitivity of the specific IgE determination compared to the skin test of 98% against Alternaria and 90.4% against Cladosporium, whereas the relative sensitivity of the histamine release test was 97.4% for Alternaria and 85% for Cladosporium. In conclusion, we think that in order to confirm the etiopathogenesis of the airborne moulds and before an immunotherapy treatment is indicated, the positive skin reactions should be confirmed by means of reliable laboratory diagnostic techniques, such as antigen-specific IgE determination and histamine release test.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Bacterial infection in the etiology of bronchial asthma].

The role of bacterial infection in etiopathogenesis of bronchial asthma should not be underestimated. The use of maintenance instead of causal treatment is not valid. We insist on antibiotic therapy and long-term bacterial immunotherapy of bronchial asthma and support value of bacterial antigen potentiating the action of inhalation antigen. This is confirmed by our treatment results which are very good.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunosuppressive effect of corticosteroids on rabbit's humoral and cellular response.

The immunosuppressive effect of two of the most used steroids, 16-Methylen-prednisolone and betamethasone, was studied in rabbits sensitized to bovine serum albumin (BSA). In the steroid treated animals the hemagglutination and precipitation titres obtained in Boyden's test and gel-diffusion respectively, were strongly decreased as compared with the controls. The Arthus reaction was also inhibited. No response was detected in the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) against the antigen (BSA) in the treated animals, and also the PHA induced transformation was suppressed but not completely abolished. A remarked decrease in the number of circulating mononuclear cells was observed in the treated animals. The number of T rosette-forming cells was also strongly decreased, but the percentage of B cells bearing IgG on their membrane detected by immunofluorescence offered only a slight decrease as compared with the controls. All these changes were observed earlier and more intensely in the Betamethasone treated rabbits.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Etiopathogenesis of atopic dermatitis].

There is a wide variety of criteria in regard to the etiology of atopic dermatitis of neurodermitis. The allergic factor may play a very important role in its etiology. There is neither a general agreement on the importance of food allergy in this regard. Broadly considered, these patients may evoke intense positive reactions to intradermal tests to food and inhalative allergens, nevertheless it will be possible to establish that the lesions appear or disappear after the exposure of suppression of the antigens which evoked the positive reaction. On this basis, many dermatologists deny the allergic etiology in atopic dermatitis, even though in most instances no food skin tests are performed. In this study, 110 patients, both children and adults of both sexes, suffering from atopic dermatitis are investigated. The onset in most of the cases is before the age of six months, following the ages between 1-10 years; the groups between 6 months and one year, and 10-20 years followed a descending order per decade until 70 years. 60.9% of the cases showed food allergy to one or more food items. In 39% of the cases, no food allergy was found. The food-stuffs more commonly involved were: milk (37.7%), egg (26.3%) and fish (20.9%), followed by coca, wheat flour, seafood, fruits, vegetables and meat. A remission of the reaction followed the suppression of the allergen. Intestinal parasitosis is evaluated in relation to atopic dermatitis. 30.9% of the 110 cases were affected with intestinal parasitosis, being the most common the flagelates (lamblias), protozoa (amoeba) and nematodes (ascaris, tricocephalus and oxijrus). Finally, a concurrence is found between atopic dermatitis and other allergic diseases in 81 cases (73.6%), being bronchial asthma and asthmatic bronchitis the most frequent, and allergic rhinitis, urticaria and Quincke's edema less frequent.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnostic value of total IgE and antigen specific IgE using RAST in pollenosis.

41 patients with clinically demonstrated pollinosis are studied. The following test were performed on all of them: a) Intradermal skin tests using grass pollen extracts (Pangramin III) and with extracts of Dactylis glomerate, Lollium perenne and Poa pratensis. b) Totol serum IgE determination. c) Antigen specific IgE (RAST) determination against the pollens mentioned in b). d) Passive hemagglutination against the pollen Dactylis glomerate. Basing on the results obtained, we have arrived to the following conclusions: 1) IgE determination with intensely positive intradermal skin tests in all cases, gave the following data: 27.5% normal values, 35% slightly elevated and 37.5% highly increased values. We believe that IgE determination can only be used to estimate the "allergization" degree of the patient. 2) No relation between the antigen concentration used in the intradermal skin test, and serum IgE concentration was found. 3) Taking in consideration that the antigen extracts used for RAST and intradermal skin tests were obtained from different sources (Sweden and Spain, respectively), the relation between both determinations ranged between 52.5% and 60%, in a total of 123 tests performed. 4) Considering that in the allergic response antibodies other than reagins (IgG) take part, and taking into account the results obtained with the passive hemagglutination technique, we consider that this last method should be included as a diagnostic routine tool in the pollinic patient.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative estimation of IgE and IgD by laser nephelometry.

The advantages and disadvantages of Laser Nephelometry (LN) in the determination of IgD and IgE are reported. Two laser nephelometer models (Behringwerke/Marburg), different batches of LN cuvettes, WHO reference standard sera, rabbit anti-human antisera and randomly selected allergic patients' sera were used for the standardization of the method. Cuvette blank values were significantly lower in the new model of laser nephelometer and the precision of these measurements was very high when two different cuvette charges were compared. In the determination of IgE by LN, it was possible to detect levels down to 125 IU/ml, the accuracy of the estimations varying between 4.8 and 8.2% and the repeatability between 3.2 and 24.4%, the highest variation coefficient being obtained in low level samples. The overall agreement between LN and RIST in 55 serum samples was 71%, and at concentrations below 200 IU/ml (normal) and above 400 IU/ml (increased) 80% and 85% respectively. In the determination of IgD by LN, the accuracy of the estimations was also very good (2.4 to 7.8%) and the variation coefficient varied between 2.8 and 13.3%. In the comparison of IgD estimations with LN and radial immunodiffusion in 27 samples a correlation coefficient of r = 0.82 was obtained. Although normal adult IgE values cannot be analysed, the clinically important increased IgE levels are correctly determined by LN. The method is more sensitive than the Mancini technique for IgE determination and in comparison with RIST, though low values are not obtained, LN is quicker, simpler and cheaper.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A contribution to the synovial fluid immunopathology in rheumatoid arthritis and other arthropathies.

The role of the autoimmune or autoallergic process in Progressive Chronic Polyarthritis, has been the subject of a great deal of study in the last four decades. In this work, using the synovial fluid of 312 patients suffering Chronic Progressive Polyarthritis and other arthropaties, the immunopathologic aspects of these diseases are studies. The following techniques had been used: 1. Total protein determination 2. Animal immunization. 3. Gel diffusion. 4. Immunoelectrophoresis. 5. Cellogel electrophoresis. 6. Radial immunodiffusion. 7. Absorption. After a systematic discussion of each of the results obtained (comparing these findings with those of other authors) we have arrived to the following conclusions. 1. The great importance of the immunoglobulins' role in the immunization process and their relation with high total protein titres, especially in PCP. 2. The importance of the IgA role in Rheumatoid Arthritis and in Acute Lymphatic Leukemia, behaving in the former as a Rheumatoid Factor with autoantibody nature. 3. An antigenic community between plasma and synovial proteins, and protein fractions. 4. The existence o af synovial "self" protein could not be demonstrated "in vivo".

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of total IgE in diverse allergosis. Comparative study with other techniques. Part I.

Three hundred patients whose ages ranged between 10 and 50 years were studied. They were classified, according to the number of sensitizing allergens, their sensitization frequency, the clinical syndrome diagnosed, and the therapy followed by each one of them. Intracutaneous tests with twenty-nine groups of allergens and the determination of total IgE, were carried out on each of them. A statistical evaluation was performed on the results obtained, for the purpose of proving mathematically the certainty of these values. The results obtained lead to the following conclusions: 1) The mean values of IGE found coincide with those discovered by other authors, except in the cases of parasytosis and atopic dermatitis. 2) The expression "mean value of IgE" is incorrect for comparative effects with respect to normal levels, since a great diffusion of individual values with respect to this mean value, were observed in all the circumstances studied. 3) A different reaginic response is noticed in the patients studied: from 50 to 70% presented extremely elevated values of serum IgE. Points 1) and 3) are being submitted to an exhaustive re-examination.

Absorption↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Food allergy as a cause of rhinitis and/or asthma.

We studied the histories of patients who had visited our Department during the last 5 years, presenting food allergy with exclusively respiratory symptoms (18.5%). We studied the correlation between IgE levels and the histamine release test and the type of food implicated. Seventy-seven percent of patients presented sensitization to one food, and 23% presented polysensitization. We found that foods such as snails and eggs have a strong predilection for the bronchial tree as the shock organ. High total IgE was found in 85.2% of patients. The histamine release test was positive in 66% of cases. We conclude that this is a highly sensitive method for the in vitro diagnosis of food allergy.

Allergens↗