IgE in respiratory tract allergies.

The IgE concentration was determined in the sera and nasal secretions of 166 patients with nasal allergy, 40 patients with bronchial asthma, and 50 control subjects, using Phadebas IgE kits. The IgE level was significantly elevated in both the sera and nasal secretions of allergic patients. The sera and nasal secretions of 142 patients, who were positive in HD or mites skin test, were subjected to a radioallergosorbent test (RAST) for estimating the specific IgE antibody activity to mites. The gradings of the specific antibody activity were significantly correlated with the strengths of the HD skin tests. The results of this study proved the usefulness of the determination of IgE and specific IgE antibodies in the diagnosis and study of the pathogenesis of respiratory tract allergies. The IgE in nasal secretions was much more closely related to pathogenesis of respiratory allergies than was IgE in sera. However, unless more concentrated nasal secretions are assayed, the diagnostic value is limited.