Quantitative assessments of IgG and IgE antibodies to inhalant allergens in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Using antigen-binding radioimmunoassays, we have measured class specific antibodies against two major inhalant allergens, antigen P1 from D. pteronyssinus and Rye I from grass pollen, in sera from 69 patients with atopic dermatitis. The results show that many of the patients have IgE ab to these allergens in keeping with their skin tests. In all cases, the IgE ab was paralleled by IgG ab to the same allergen. In many sera, IgE ab to these inhalant allergens made a significant contribution to the total serum IgE. With two other allergens to which these patients had not been exposed, specific IgE ab was detected in only one serum, whereas the 42 sera tested did not contain IgE ab to diphtheria toxin. Eleven of the adult patients with atopic dermatitis had no history of asthma and had strongly positive skin tests. This group of patients had levels of total IgE and specific ab to antigen P1 that were very similar to those found in a comparable group of patients who had both atopic dermatitis and asthma. Our recent finding that allergens applied to the skin can induce delayed eczematous lesions provides a mechanism by which allergens could contribute to skin lesions. Our present results support the view that specific sensitivity to common allergens should be taken into account in considering the causes of these patients' skin lesions.