Bronchial hyper-responsiveness in atopic dermatitis.
Most patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have symptoms of asthma at some point in their lives, but some do not have any clinical evidence of asthma. Thirty-two patients with AD who had never suffered from bronchial asthma were investigated by the methacholine inhalation test for the presence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR). Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, mite specific IgE antibody, peripheral eosinophil counts, serum levels of eosinophil cationic proteins (ECP), and serum levels of major basic proteins (MBP) were determined and a skin test to acetylcholine and adrenaline was performed. The percentage of cases who showed BHR (minimum dose; Dmin < 50 units) was 31.3% in AD patients and 19.0% in 21 healthy controls. In those cases, Dmin of methacholine in AD was significantly lower than that in the controls (P < 0.01). Serum MBP levels were significantly higher in AD with BHR than in those without it (P < 0.05). These results indicate that some AD patients without asthma have BHR, and it may be related to serum MBP levels.
Miyabayashi
Y
Y
Department of Pediatrics, Doai Memorial Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride
D001798:Blood Proteins; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride