A new asthma classification based on its pathophysiology using IgE antibody (RAST) and lymphocyte activation as parameters

To establish a new classification in bronchial asthma, antigen-induced immediate asthmatic response (IAR) and late asthmatic response (LAR) to mite and Candida were compared with antigen specific IgE antibody (IgE RAST) and lymphocyte blastogenesis (Ly-BL) in asthmatics. Half of asthmatics with a high score on mite IgE RAST could not be provoked to IAR, although almost all of patients with house dust-induced IAR showed a high score on mite IgE RAST. However, asthmatics with enhanced Ly-BL following exposure to mite and Candida showed highly provoked LAR by antigen inhalation, and LAR patients showed significantly enhanced Ly-BL by both antigens (p