Humoral and cellular immunity in asthma

Parameters of humoral and cellular immunity have been measured in 91 asthmatic patients. Mean serum levels of IgG and IgE were raised. IgG levels were higher in those with a family history of asthma. IgE levels were higher in those with a past history of atopic eczema, but intrinsic and extrinsic asthma could not be differentiated on the basis of IgE levels. Thirteen of 74 patients failed to respond to tetanus immunization, while only 1 failed to respond to Salmonella typhi H antigen. Tetanus nonresponders had a raised mean serum IgA level, reduced spontaneous lymphocyte tritiated thymidine uptake, and reduced thymidine uptake in fetal calf serum. Eight of 87 patients failed to mount delayed hypersensitivity reactions to a battery of five intradermal antigens. The tritiated thymidine uptake of lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin was normal in autologous serum, but reduced in fetal calf serum. The data support the hypothesis that asthma may be associated with immunodeficiency states.