[Evaluation of the sensitized condition of patients with allergic diseases in Okinawa using the MAST allergy system].

We determined, using the MAST system, specific IgE antibodies to allergens in the circulating blood of 127 patients with bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis in Okinawa. The positive rates to inhalant allergens in all patients examined by the MAST system were as follows: Dermatophagoides farinae 65%, house dust 58%, cat epithelium 17% and Japanese cedar 9%. In addition, the positive rates to food allergens found in all patients were as follows: wheat 16%, shrimp 14%, egg white, rice and crab 12%. The average number of positive allergens in the patients with atopic dermatitis was larger than that in those with allergic respiratory diseases only. The above five specific IgE antibodies were detected simultaneously in 12 (9%) of the 127 patients. In addition, the average number of overlapping positive allergens was 2.0 in all patients. From these results, it was suggested that the number of overlapping positive allergens in patients on Okinawa is smaller than in other areas of Japan as compared with other papers.