[A clinical investigation of the role of allergic factors in the severity of bronchial asthma].

In order to study whether allergic factors have role in the severity of asthmatic attack, two hundred and forty adult asthmatics were clinically investigated (142 male, 98 female, aged 36.5 +/- 14.3). Fifty-seven extrinsic asthmatics were selected from the adult asthmatic group. The relationship between the total serum IgE levels, RAST scores, intracutaneous reactions to the twenty antigens, and the severity of bronchial asthma categorized according to the guidelines of the Japanese Society of Allergology, and methacholine bronchial responsiveness (Dmin(u)) were determined. In extrinsic asthma, there was a significant correlation between the severity of bronchial asthma, the intensity of asthmatic attack and bronchial responsiveness. However, there was no significant correlation between the severity of asthma, the Dmin(u) values and the total serum IgE levels, RAST scores, and the intensity of intracutaneous reaction, although there was a significant correlation between the Dmin(u) values and the numbers of positive intracutaneous reactions. In conclusion, it is suggested that there is no direct correlation between allergic factors and the severity of bronchial asthma in adult asthmatics.