Increased total and mite-specific immunoglobulin E in patients with aspirin-induced urticaria and angioedema

Background: an increased prevalence of atopy has been observed in patients with intolerance of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory drugs (nsaids),objective: to investigate total and mite-specific immunoglobulin (ig) e in serum from patients with hypersensitivity to nsaids and healthy controls,methods: patients who reacted to 2 or more chemically unrelated nsaids with urticaria and angioedema,confirmed by a double-blinded provocation test with aspirin,were skin tested with inhalant allergens. total and specific ige to dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (dp) and blomia tropicalis (bt) in the serum was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) in patients and a control group of healthy blood donors,results: one-hundred-and-fourteen patients and 74 controls were studied. skin tests were positive in 95 patients (83.3%). total mean ige levels were 107.1 (91.3) iu/ml in controls and 161.0 (150.8) iu/ml in patients (p=.006). mean (sd) levels of ige to dp were 0.210 (0.17) optical density (od) units in controls and 0.473 (0.65) od units in patients (p=.001). levels of specific ige to bt were 0.230 (0.20) od units in controls and 0.522 (0.8) od units in patients (p=.0001). positive elisa results for ige to dp were found for 29.6% of controls and 70.4% of patients (p=.0001); the corresponding percentages for bt were 32.4% of controls and 67.6% of patients (p=.0001),conclusions: cross-reactive patients with nsaid-induced urticaria and angioedema exhibit an increased prevalence of sensitization to dp and bt and increased total serum ige. further research is necessary to determine the reasons for this association. © 2010 esmon publicidad.