COCKROACH CAUSE OF ALLERGIC-ASTHMA - ITS SPECIFICITY AND IMMUNOLOGICAL PROFILE

To assess the etiologic role of cockroach antigen in bronchial asthma, 46 asthmatic subjects were studied using in vitro assays for total and cockroach-specific IgE antibodies (IgEcr) and the responsiveness of the skin and bronchial tree to the antigen challenge in vivo. Asthmatic subjects were divided into skin test-positive (PCR) and skin test-negative (NCR) groups according to immediate skin response to cockroach antigen. The 28 in the PCR group showed high total IgE (1,901 ng/ml) and a high cockroach-specific IgE antibody level (329%) in the serum compared to the 10 in the NCR group (IgE: 915 ng/ml, IgEcr: 84%) (p < 0.001). Bronchial challenge with the antigen revealed immediate asthmatic reaction ( 30 33) and late asthmatic reaction ( 16 33) in the PCR asthmatics, whereas the NCR asthmatics showed neither immediate asthmatic reaction ( 2 13 showed questionable decrease in FEV1) nor late asthmatic reaction (p < 0.001). A marked increase in peripheral eosinophils (758% vs 121%) was noted following antigen inhalation in the skin test-positive asthmatics (p < 0.025). The results indicate that cockroach antigen causes antigen-specific IgE-mediated bronchial asthma and peripheral eosinophilia in specifically sensitized asthmatic subjects. © 1979.