Behaviour on the nasal provocation test in patients affected by conjunctivitis and/or asthma of allergic origin.

In the Allergo-Immunological Centre of Rome University we selected 120 patients of both sexes, ranging from 5-65 years of age, affected by asthma and/or conjunctivitis without past or present history of nasal impairment (itching, sneezing, hydrorrhea). As a result of the allergometric tests carried out, the authors divided the samples into three groups: 1) positive reaction to Dermatophagoides Pteronissimus (66.6%); 2) positive reaction to the Graminacee (28.3%); 3) positive reaction to Parietaria officinalis (5.1%). After having undergone the rhinoreomanometric test of nasal provocation, 50% of the patients revealed a positive reaction to the specific allergen, more specifically at 50 PNU/ml 40% of the case were positive, and at 100 PNU/ml 50% were positive. These results are discussed in the light of modern biological knowledge on the mastocytes in normal subjects and in those suffering from allergy.