[25 atopic dermatitis patients with positive RAST for rice were treated with a rice elimination diet (the mean duration of elimination: 5.2 months). The clinical effects and the change in RAST for rice and wheat, serum IgE values and the number of eosinophils were examined].

The results were as follows; 9 cases (36%) showed improvement, 10 cases (40%) mild improvement and 6 cases (24%) no improvement. Rice-RAST titers (PRU/ml) decreased in accordance with the clinical effects, namely most remarkably in the 1st group. Wheat-RAST titers also decreased noticeably in the 1st group even though they were eating wheat everyday, but increased in the 3rd group. In these cases the rice antigen may act on the production of IgE antibodies specific not only to rice but also to wheat as an initiator antigen. The serum IgE values increased in the 3rd group, but not in the other groups. In all groups, eosinophilia was seen, but no significant changes in condition after rice elimination diet were observed. Based on these results, the probable role of rice allergy in the pathogenesis of severe AD in Japan was discussed.