Corticosteroid-sensitive lymphocytes are normal in atopic asthma.

Corticosteroids, well known to increase susceptibility to infection, are often administered to atopic patients. Atopy may be associated with lymphocyte abnormalities and increased susceptibility to infections caused by intracellular organisms. We sought to determine whether atopic and nonatopic subjects respond in a similar manner to corticosteroids administered both systemically and locally. We compared the response of peripheral blood leukocytes of 15 atopic asthmatics and 10 nonatopic control subjects to prednisone or beclomethasone dipropionate. We determined leukocyte number, total eosinophil count, T-cell number, complement receptor lymphocyte number, and concanavalin A (Con A)- and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphocyte proliferation before and 5 hr after administration of 20 mg of prednisone orally or 336 micrograms of beclomethasone dipropionate by aerosol inhalation. Baseline values of the groups differed. The atopic asthmatic group had higher total eosinophil count, lower percent lymphocyte count, and slightly lower Con A- and PHA (high concentration)-induced lymphocyte proliferation. T-cell and complement receptor lymphocyte number were equivalent in both groups. Prednisone caused a profound eosinopenia, monocytopenia, T lymphopenia, depression of mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation, and increase in leukocyte number and complement receptor lymphocyte percent. Beclomethasone dipropionate was associated with little or no change in these parameters. We conclude that atopic asthma is not associated with a defect in corticosteroid-sensitive leukocyte populations and that beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol, as opposed to prednisone, does not alter peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations.