Hypnotic Treatment Of Asthma; Real And Illusory Results

Abstract

Serum IgE concentrations, IgE antibody titers to mite allergen, the number of blood eosinophils, the number of positive scratch tests, and the bronchial reactivity to acetylcholine were examined on the following 3 groups: (1) asthmatic subjects who had been in remission for 3 years or more; (2) asthmatics currently having asthma attacks; (3) normal healthy control subjects. Mean values were all higher in the asthmatic groups than in the controls. Differences between the 2 asthmatic groups were insignificant except for the acetylcholine inhalation tests, in which asthmatics in remission had lower bronchial reactivity than active asthmatics. In the former group, decreases in bronchial reactivity to acetylcholine after remission were observed in 7 of the 9 subjects. No correlation was obtained between bronchial reactivity and serum IgE. Of 7 asthmatics in remission having high serum IgE levels, 6 showed low bronchial responsiveness to acetylcholine, while the remaining one retained marked bronchial hyperreactivity. These results indicated that the atopic disposition of asthmatic subjects persisted but the bronchial reactivity to acetylcholine might decrease after long-term remission.