[Bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine and levels of serum eosinophil cationic protein in patients with non-atopic asthma]. / Nadreaktywnosc oskrzeli na histamine a stezenie eozynofilowego bialka kationowego w surowicy chorych na astme oskrzelowa nieatopowa.

Pathogenesis of non-atopic bronchial asthma remains still an open question. Until now there have been very few studies concerning relationship between eosinophil activation and nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine in this form of asthma. Sixteen subjects with mild nonatopic bronchial asthma entered the study. Evaluations of PC 20 for histamine and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) concentration have been performed in all patients. In spite of fact that all patients were considered as mild asthmatic we have observed wide range of PC 20 and serum ECP concentration. Moreover we were able to find statistically significant inverse correlation between PC 20 for histamine and serum eosinophil cationic protein concentration: r = -0.498, p < 0.05. We conclude that eosinophil activation plays an important role in pathophysiology of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity in nonatopic bronchial asthma.

Comparative study between skin prick tests and TOP-CAST allergen leukocyte stimulation in diagnosis of allergic status.

A recently developed CAST-ELISA method was applied to determine allergen-induced leukocyte stimulation. This method is based on the measurement of sulfidoleukotriene secretion by peripheral blood leukocytes previously stimulated with specific allergen in the presence of interleukin 3. 24 patients allergic to different aeroallergens and some food allergens were included in this study. Subjects received no medication 2 weeks before the testing. Leukocytes were isolated by dextran sedimentation. After incubation with allergen at two concentrations, the cells were centrifuged and the concentration of sulfidoleukotrienes in supernatant was determined. The results were expressed in pg/ml after subtraction of values of spontaneous sulfidoleukotriene production in portions incubated without allergen. We observed a wide range of sulfidoleukotriene secretion upon allergen stimulation. Concentrations of leukotrienes ranged from 0 to 5780 pg/ml at lower allergen concentration and from 210 to 5680 at higher allergen concentration. On the basis of observed results, we conclude that the better allergen concentration is the higher one because there was no appearance of negative cell stimulation. In the lower allergen concentration we observed negative results in two cases. Sixteen healthy control subjects were also included in this study. Eleven subjects had negative skin prick tests (SPT) as well as CAST results. In 5 healthy subjects with positive SPT, we also observed positive CAST results in 4 persons. In 1 healthy person with positive SPT results, CAST results were negative. We conclude that TOP-CAST allergen is a valuable mixture of different aero and food allergens for determining the allergic status in patients with suspicious allergic status, although it cannot differentiate between health and disease states.

CAST-ELISA test in diagnosis of mite allergy.

The recently developed CAST-ELISA method was applied to determine allergen-induced leukocyte stimulation. This method is based on the measurement of sulfidoleukotriene secretion by peripheral blood leukocytes stimulated with specific allergen in the presence of interleukin 3.23 patients allergic to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were included in this study. All subjects received no medication 2 weeks before the testing. Leukocytes were isolated by dextran sedimentation. After incubation with allergen the cells were centrifuged and the concentration of sulfidoleukotrienes in supernatant was determined. The results were expressed in pg/ml after subtracting the values of spontaneous sulfidoleukotriene production in portions incubated without allergen. We observed a wide range of sulfidoleukotriene secretion upon allergen stimulation. Concentrations of leukotrienes ranged from 0 to 3440 pg/ml. The mean level in the whole group was 1521.3 pg/ml at the optimal allergen concentration. Positive results were observed in 21 subjects. In 2 subjects we could not demonstrate leukotriene secretion by stimulation with allergen. 15 healthy control subjects were also included in this study. 12 subjects had negative skin prick tests (SPT) as well as CAST results. In 2 healthy subjects with positive SPT, we also observed positive CAST results. However, leukotriene secretion was lower than 300 pg/ml in these subjects. We conclude that CAST-ELISA is a valuable method for determining the allergic status in patients with mite allergy.

Is mast cell activation during asthmatic reaction reflected in the circulation?

Allergic asthmatic patients were challenged with specific allergen that resulted in early asthmatic reaction (EAR). Serum tryptase concentration (STC) and neutrophil chemotactic activity (NCA) were measured before and during EAR. A significant increase in neutrophil chemotactic activity was noticed in the 60th min, without an accompanying increase in serum tryptase concentration. The rise in neutrophil chemotactic activity in our study confirms previous observations in this field. However, because of the numerous cellular sources for neutrophil chemotactic activity, it does not seem to be a gold standard for measurement of mast cell activation. Undetectable levels of serum tryptase concentration during EAR in our study do not exclude the role of the mast cell in its pathogenesis. To our knowledge, only massive mast cell degranulation is reflected in the circulation as an increased tryptase concentration. In the case of upper respiratory allergic reactions, mast cell degranulation definitely takes place, but does not result in evident changes in serum tryptase concentration. We conclude that mast cell activation during allergen-induced EAR is poorly represented in the circulation.

[Spontaneous histamine release by basophils and bronchial hyperreactivity in patients with hay fever]. / Spontaniczne uwalnianie histaminy z bazofilów oraz nadreaktywnosc oskrzeli u chorych na pylkowice.

Basophil spontaneous histamine release test was performed in seventeen patients suffered from seasonal allergic rhinitis before, 2 weeks after immunotherapy and during pollen season. During pollen season at the same day non-specific bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine was estimated. Values of spontaneous basophil histamine release before immunotherapy were not different from control group but significantly increased after immunotherapy and during pollen season. There was no correlation between degree of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity and values of spontaneous histamine release from basophils.

[Concentration of eosinophil cationic protein in blood serum during early and late asthmatic reaction]. / Stezenie eozynofilowego bialka kationowego w surowicy podczas wczesnej i póznej reakcji astmatycznej.

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) was measured in blood serum of 15 atopic asthmatics during early (EAR) and late (LAR) asthmatic reaction triggered by specific allergen provocation. Nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity was evaluated in histamine provocation test before and 48 hours after the allergen challenge. We observed dual asthmatic reaction (DAR) in 8 and an isolated EAR in 7 patients. The ECP serum level and nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the DAR group when compared to EAR responders. An inverse correlation between PC20 for histamine and ECP level was shown before and after the allergen challenge in all examined subjects (R = -0.5472, p < 0.05).

[Spontaneous and allergen induced basophil histamine release and bronchial hyperreactivity]. / Spontaniczne i indukowane alergenem uwalnianie histaminy z granulocytów zasadochlonnych a nadreaktywnosc oskrzeli.

In this study we have measured spontaneous and allergen induced basophil histamine release before and 24 hours after specific allergen bronchoprovocation challenge. Non-specific bronchial hyperreactivity was estimated twice: before and after allergen challenge. 15 atopic asthmatic entered the study. 8 of them developed only early asthmatic reaction and 7 demonstrated dual asthmatic reaction. In dual responders group higher values of spontaneous basophil histamine release before and increase of allergen induced basophil histamine release after specific allergen bronchoprovocation challenge were observed. There was an inverse correlation between values of allergen induced basophil histamine release and values of PC20 for histamine.

[Granulocyte chemiluminescence during early and late asthmatic reaction]. / Chemiluminescencja granulocytów w trakcie wczesnej i póznej reakcji astmatycznej.

Allergic asthmatic patients were challenged with specific allergen resulting in early and dual asthmatic reaction. FMLP induced granulocyte chemiluminescence was measured before and in 10 min, 60 min, 4 hours and 24 hours after allergen challenge. We have observed significant decrease of granulocyte chemiluminescence in both groups. In patient with early asthmatic reaction decrease of luminescence was observed during first hour only. In patients with dual asthmatic reaction decrease of luminescence was observed during 24 hours after allergen challenge.

[Mixed connective tissue disease in a male patient chronically exposed to toxic chemicals]. / Mieszana choroba tkanki lacznej u mezczyzny narazonego na przewlekle dzialanie srodków toksycznych.

A case of the mixed disease of the connective tissue (MCTD) in male patient occupationally exposed to PVC and other toxic agents is presented. Clinical symptoms consisted of the typical signs of SLE, rheumatoid arthritis and lupoid hepatitis. MCTD diagnosis was confirmed serologically by the presence of autoantibodies anti-RNP. Prednisone administered in the daily dose of 60 mg produced remission.

[A comparative study on skin tests and allergen-specific IgE levels determined by enzyme allergo-sorbent testing (EAST)]. / Badania porównawcze zgodnosci testów skórnych ze stezeniem swoistych prezeciwcial IgE oznaczanych metoda enzyme allergo-sorbent testing (EAST).

Ninety seven randomly selected subjects with bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis were classified for the comparative studies. The level of allergen specific IgE determined by Enzyme Allergo-Sorbent Testing (EAST) was compared with skin tests. The statistically significant correlation was found for 9 selected allergens. However, the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient values varied largely, depending on a given allergen. They ranged from 0.74 (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) to 0.33 (Birch pollen) what might be, in the authors' opinion, a result of Bencard allergens use for skin tests and Kallestad allergens for EAST.

Specific allergen stimulates increased motility of peripheral blood lymphocytes and neutrophils from atopics; the effect of specific immunotherapy.

The chemotactic response of peripheral blood lymphocytes and neutrophils from pollinotics and healthy subjects in pollen allergen gradients, before and after specific immunotherapy was investigated using modified Boyden method. It was found that lymphocytes and neutrophils from allergic patients only responded in a chemotactic way in the gradient of the specific allergen. This effect could be demonstrated also in the period when the patients were asymptomatic. Preincubation of the cells with antibodies against human IgE results in abrogation of this effect only in lymphocytes. Specific immunotherapy results in the increased motility of lymphocytes and neutrophils in the gradient of specific allergen just after immunotherapy and significantly decreased motility of these cells during the next exposure to allergen (pollen season) as compared to the values observed in these subjects before immunotherapy. Thus the reactivity of these cells is the dynamic process largely dependent upon exposure to allergen.

[Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in erythrocytes in patients with atopic asthma and allergic rhinitis]. / Aktywnosc dehydrogenazy glukozo-6-fosforanowej krwinek czerwonych u chorych na atopowa astme oskrzelowa i katar sienny.

A significant decrease of erythrocyte G-6-P dehydrogenase activity in patients with atopic asthma and allergic rhinitis was observed. In order to define the cause of this phenomenon the enzyme was isolated from the cells. The kinetic and molecular properties of the erythrocyte G-6-P dehydrogenase were studied. A change in the Michaelis constant for G-6-P dehydrogenase was seen in erythrocytes of both patient groups. The thermoresistance at 45 C was reduced significantly. These modified properties can imply a change in the dehydrogenase molecule, this is seen more significantly in the group with allergic rhinitis.

[Circulating immune complexes in patients treated with Pollinex vaccine]. / Krazace kompleksy immunologiczne u chorych leczonych szczepionka Pollinex.

Twenty six patients with rhinitis were desensitized with Pollinex. Circulating immune complexes were determined in these patients before and after immunotherapy. Two assay techniques - precipitation and PEG-CCT were applied to assay circulating immune complexes. It was found that specific immunotherapy with Pollinex does not produce circulating immune complexes in patients with hay fever.

[Coxsackie B virus infection]. / Zespól zakazenia wirusami Coxsackie B.

A case of a 27-year patient with a clinical syndrome of Coxsackie B viral infection is presented. The symptoms included pleurodynia, myocarditis and the acute gastritis. The diagnosis was confirmed with serological tests which showed high titre of antibodies neutralizing Coxsackie B3. The symptoms of myocardial infarction dominated in both clinical course and autopsy. The authors suggest that serological tests specific for Coxsackie B infection should be performed in the young patients with the symptoms of myocardial infarction.

[Hyperreactivity of the bronchial tree in patients with hay fever before and after immunotherapy]. / Nadreaktywnosc oskrzeli u chorcych na katar sienny przed immunoterapia i po jej zastosowaniu.

Immunotherapy with Pollinex was performed in 46 patients with hay fever. Hyperreactivity of the bronchi determined with inhalation histamine test was noted in 36% of the patients. Histamine test was positive in 24% of patients treated with Pollinex. The difference was statistically insignificant.