Eosinophil and neutrophil chemiluminescence in patients with atopic asthma and in healthy subjects.

The 10 patients with atopic asthma and 6 healthy subjects were selected for the study. Each person underwent prick testing to common allergens (extracts of house dust, grass, trees, animal danders, feathers and mould). In addition blood was drawn for the specific IgE antibodies to D. pteronyssinus and total serum IgE levels. Neutrophil and eosinophil chemiluminescence induced by PMA and FMLP was measured in both groups. Eosinophils obtained from patients with atopic asthma stimulated with PMA and FMLP generated significantly greater free radicals than obtained from normal subjects. There was no observed significant difference of neutrophil chemiluminescence activated by PMA and FMLP and of the percentage of hypodense eosinophils in the peripheral blood between subjects with asthma and healthy ones.