IgE antibodies against pollinosis-inducing allergens in asthma patients with and without allergic rhinitis

IgE antibodies against inhalant allergens were estimated in 53 patients with bronchial asthma in relation to allergic rhinitis. Of them, 20 patients (37.7%) had allergic rhinitis. 1. Asthma + allergic rhinitis were often observed in patients between the ages of 0 and 39. In contrast, asthma alone in those over age 60. 2. A RAST score was positive in house dust mite (HDm)(50.9%), cockroach(24.5%), and Candida (26.4%) in these patients, and the positive rate was not different between patients with and without allergic rhinitis. 3. The frequency of positive RAST against Japanese cedar and rice plants was higher in patients with allergic rhinitis (42.9% and 18.5%) than in those without allergic rhinitis (28.6 and 3.7%), however, the each positive rate or RAST against the two allergens was not significantly different between those with AR and without AR. 4. The number of patients with AR induced by pollen alone (pollinosis) was not large ( 5/53, 9.4%) in the patients with asthma. It was clarified from the results that allergic rhinitis was often observed in asthma patients, but not pollinosis. and that IgE antibodies against Japanese cedar and rice plants were found even in patients without AR.