Abstract
Paranumerical changes of blood monocytes were examined using a new direct counting method in 130 asthmatic patients.
The results obtained in this study were as follows.
(1) The number of blood monocytes in the non-attack stage of asthma was less than that in healthy subjects, and the number in the pre-attack stage was approximately the same as the control. The monocyte count in all cases showed a significant increase in preattack and attack stages.
(2) In an individual asthmatic cycle, the number of monocytes tended to increase moderately in pre-attack stages and even more markedly during asthma attacks.
(3) Changes in the number of monocytes in cases with positive bronchial challenge for house dust extract showed the same tendency as in spontaneous asthma attacks.
(4) The number of monocytes did not change in bronchospasm provoked by inhalation of acetylcholine.
(5) Changes in the number of monocytes for exercise-induced asthma patients followed no particular pattern; that is, some cases showed a significant increase in the number of monocytes related to the asthmatic cycle, but other cases did not show any changes.
These findings suggest that the number of monocytes changes in asthma attacks caused by allergic reactions.
