USE OF WHOLE BLOOD HISTAMINE RELEASE TESTS TO DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIVENESS TO JAPANESE CEDAR POLLINOSIS

The sensitivity, reactivity, and efficacy of treatment for Japanese cedar pollinosis varies from individual to individual. Specific serum IgE levels are not related to this responsiveness. The whole blood histamine release test (HRT) is based on the in vitro measurement of an immediate allergic reaction. This method, using peripheral whole blood, may be used to reveal the influence of not only specific IgE antibodies, but IgG4 and cytokines on the release of histamines from basophils.Japanese cedar pollinosis patients with high specific serum IgE levels were divided into high class of HRT (hHRT) and low class HRT (lHRT) groups. No differences in age, sex, period of symptoms, first day of allergic symptoms (sensitivity), positivity for other specific IgE levels, and symptom score at the time of the first visit (reactivity) were observed between the two groups. Treatment with new anti-histamines significantly improved the symptom score of the lHRT patients but not the hHRT patients. This result suggests that HRT is useful for estimating the efficacy of new anti-histamines and selecting an appropriate treatment.In conclusion, these results indicate that HRT is not useful for determining the sensitivity or reactivity of patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis but is useful for estimating the efficacy of new anti-histamines treatments.