Abstract
Nasal allergy has long been regarded as one of the causes of nasal polyps. However, allergy in the nose cannot be demonstrated in all patients with nasal polyps. Since relationship of allergy in the nose and nasal polyps has not yet been clarified completely, the amount of specific IgE antibodies in nasal polyps was determined by tissue-RAST.
Two groups of patients, 8 with all 3 perennial symptoms of sneezing attacks, serous hypersecretion, and nasal blockage due to nasal polyps (symptom group) and 20 with only one symptom-nasal blockage due to nasal polyps (negative symptom group) were examined. The patients were subjected to a series of conventional allergy tests: skin tests, nasal provocation tests, RAST, and nasal smears. After these conventional tests, the volume of IgE antibodies in the nasal polyps removed surgically was measured by t-RAST.
1. IgE antibodies were detected in the nasal polyps in some, but not all, cases of nasal allergy.
2. IgE antibodies were demonstrated in the nasal polyps of some patients without nasal allergy.
3. The consentration of IgE antibodies in the nasal polyps of patients with nasal allergy was far lower than that in the inferior turbinate mucosa.
These results strongly suggest that IgE antibodies in nasal polyps do not always indicate nasal allergy and that the symptoms of nasal allergy may not be manifested because of scanty of nerve endings in nasal polyps.
