Autonomic nervous system abnormalities and allergy.
Abnormal autonomic nervous system responsiveness may contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma and other allergic diseases. Therefore, we measured alpha- and beta-adrenergic and cholinergic responsiveness in allergic subjects. Allergic asthmatic subjects had an abnormal adrenergic (alpha = hyperresponsive; beta = hyporesponsive) and cholinergic (hyperresponsive) profile. However, subjects with allergic rhinitis and preallergic subjects (those with positive allergen skin tests without any disease manifestation) had equivalent beta-adrenergic and cholinergic abnormalities. Thus, all allergic subjects showed abnormal beta-adrenergic hyporeactivity and cholinergic hypersensitivity whereas allergic asthma was singularly associated with excessive alpha-adrenergic responsiveness. Autoantibodies against beta-receptors were found predominantly in subjects with beta-adrenergic hyporeactivity. The presence of these autoantibodies and the physiologic abnormalities associated with their presence suggests a causitive relationship.
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000502:physiology; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D014481:United States
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta