title: New in vitro method for detecting asthma allergen. Counting reactive basophils after addition of allergen.
abstract: Changes in the morphology and number of basophils were examined after the addition in vitro of house dust extract in cells from seventy-seven patients with bronchial asthma. Morphological changes (reactive basophils) showed a close relation to the end-point titrations of antigen in skin tests, RAST score and bronchial provocation tests, but changes in number of basophils did not. With a RAST score of 2 or greater the change in reactive basophils varied from 40 to 80% (mean 58.1%), which was much greater than seen in persons with no RAST, score 0. Patients with positive bronchial inhalation tests, showed 40 to 80% (mean 57.8%) reactive basophils, whereas persons with a negative bronchial challenge test showed a range of reactive basophils from 0 to 50% (mean 28.9%). The difference in percentage of reactive basophils between the positive and negative groups of persons tested by bronchial inhalation was statistically significant.
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D004391:Dust; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust