Thyroid antibodies are frequently observed in urticaria patients, but their roles in urticaria are not clearly elucidated. We investigated the role of serum specific IgE to thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in patients with aspirin intolerant acute urticaria (AIAU) and aspirin intolerant chronic urticaria (AICU). We recruited 59 AIAU and 96 AICU patients with 69 normal controls (NC). Serum specific IgE to TPO was measured by manual direct ELISA, and CD203c expressions on basophil with additions of TPO were measured to prove a direct role of TPO in effector cells. The prevalences of serum specific IgE to TPO were significantly higher in AIAU (15.2%) and AICU groups (7.5%) compared to NC (0%, P=0.018: P=0.013, respectively). Flow cytometry showed CD203c induction in a dose dependent manner with serial additions of TPO in some AIAU and AICU patients having high specific IgE to TPO. Our findings show that the prevalence of serum specific IgE to TPO was significantly higher in both AIAU and AICU patients than in NC. It is suggested that specific IgE to TPO play a pathogenic role in AIAU and AICU.
Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects ; Aspirin/*adverse effects ; Autoantibodies/immunology ; Basophils/drug effects/*immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/*immunology ; Iodide Peroxidase/blood/*immunology ; Urticaria/*chemically induced/*immunology/pathology

Aspirin and food additives are known to induce bronchoconstriction, angioedema or urticaria in susceptible patients. To evaluate the incidence of hypersensitivity to aspirin and food additives, 36 subjects with bronchial asthma, 33 of whom were non-allergic asthmatics and 3 were allergic asthmatics who had a history of aspirin sensitivity, were challenged orally with six compounds: acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), sodium bisulfite, tartrazine, sodium benzoate, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid, and monosodium L-glutamate. Significant bronchoconstrictions were found in 15 (41.7%) of the 36 subjects tested. Eight of the 15 subjects showed positive asthmatic responses to the aspirin, two showed asthmatic responses to the food additives, and five responded to both aspirin and the food additives. It is suggested that ASA and food additives could be causes of clinically significant bronchoconstriction in moderately severe non-allergic asthmatic patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aspirin/*immunology ; Asthma/*immunology ; Bronchial Provocation Tests/*methods ; Drug Hypersensitivity/*immunology ; Female ; Food Additives/*adverse effects ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age

Aspirin and food additives are known to induce bronchoconstriction, angioedema or urticaria in susceptible patients. To evaluate the incidence of hypersensitivity to aspirin and food additives, 36 subjects with bronchial asthma, 33 of whom were non-allergic asthmatics and 3 were allergic asthmatics who had a history of aspirin sensitivity, were challenged orally with six compounds: acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), sodium bisulfite, tartrazine, sodium benzoate, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid, and monosodium L-glutamate. Significant bronchoconstrictions were found in 15 (41.7%) of the 36 subjects tested. Eight of the 15 subjects showed positive asthmatic responses to the aspirin, two showed asthmatic responses to the food additives, and five responded to both aspirin and the food additives. It is suggested that ASA and food additives could be causes of clinically significant bronchoconstriction in moderately severe non-allergic asthmatic patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aspirin/*immunology ; Asthma/*immunology ; Bronchial Provocation Tests/*methods ; Drug Hypersensitivity/*immunology ; Female ; Food Additives/*adverse effects ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age

Non-acetylated salicylates have been recommended for use as alternatives to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in aspirin and/or tartrazine-sensitive patients. We experienced a case of an aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patient who developed a broncho-obstructive reaction after taking 100 mg of sodium salicylate. The result of this study suggests that sodium salicylate may cross-react with aspirin in aspirin-and tartrazine-sensitive patients.
Aspirin/*adverse effects/immunology ; Asthma/*complications/diagnosis/etiology ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Cross Reactions ; Drug Hypersensitivity/*complications/diagnosis/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sodium Salicylate/*adverse effects/immunology ; Tartrazine/adverse effects

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The pathogenic mechanism of aspirin-sensitive asthma (ASA-BA) remains to be further defined. To evaluate the role of circulating immune complex (CIC) in ASA-BA. SUBJECTS & METHODS: We measured IgG- and IgA-IC level by ELISA using anti-C3 antibody in 33 ASA-BA patients whose sensitivity was confirmed by lysine-aspirin bronchoprovocation test, and compared with those of 14 allergic, 14 intrinsic asthma patients and 7 healthy controls. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in IgG-IC level among the four groups (p > 0.05), while IgA-IC levels of aspirin-sensitive asthma were higher than those of other groups (p = 0.0035). Patients with nasal polyp had significantly higher IgG-IC than those without it (p = 0.02). No differences were found according to medication and symptom scores, and presence of atopy, rhino-sinusitis, urticaria or concurrent sensitivity to sulfite (p > 0.05). Insignificant correlation was found between IgG-IC level and asthma duration, total IgE level, or circulating eosinophil count. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a possible contribution of IgG-IC to the development of nasal polyp in ASA-BA. Further study will be needed to clarify the role of IgA-IC in the pathogenesis of ASA-BA.
Adult ; Aged ; Antigen-Antibody Complex/blood* ; Aspirin/adverse effects* ; Asthma/immunology* ; Asthma/etiology* ; Asthma/complications ; Case-Control Studies ; Human ; IgA/blood ; IgG/blood ; Middle Age ; Nasal Polyps/etiology