Immunologic analysis of steroid-dependent asthma.

In order to analyze steroid-dependent asthma immunologically, IgE antibodies to mite (Dermatophagoides farinae), Candida albicans, and Aspergillus fumigatus were measured in 112 asthmatic patients. IgG and IgG subclass antibodies to mite were also measured. The rate of patients who were positive to candida IgE RAST was higher in atopic steroid-dependent patients than in atopic steroid-independent patients (P less than .01). The rate of mite-sensitive patients who had not received immunotherapy with mite or house dust was higher than in the atopic steroid-dependent patients than in atopic steroid-independent patients (P less than .05). IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies to mite were higher in mite-sensitive steroid-independent patients than in mite-sensitive steroid-dependent patients. IgE antibodies to A. fumigatus were detected only in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Based on these results, we were encouraged to try immunotherapy with house dust mite or C. albicans if patients were steroid-dependent and sensitive to these allergens except when the patients had ABPA.