[Positivities of skin test and IgE rast to allergens in bronchial asthma with normal serum IgE levels].

The positivities of skin test and specific IgE antibodies were studied in 179 asthmatic patients who were divided into three groups according to their serum IgE levels: group L = less than 300 U/ml, group M = 300-700 U/ml, group H = greater than 700 U/ml. 1) The study population was made up as follows: group L 44%, M 28% and H 29%. 2) Skin test positivity was 35% in group L, 74% in M, 92% in H and 14% in the healthy non-asthmatic group. 3) The positivity in IgE RAST was 37% in L, 69% in M and 83% in H. 4) The percentage of patients showing positivity in either skin test or IgE RAST was 37% in L, 76% in M and 92% in H. These results suggest that we should be careful in determining the type of asthma in case of normal serum IgE level.