Equivalent Inhibition by Terbutaline of Anti‐Human IgE Skin Responses in Atopic and Non‐Atopic Subjects

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Abstract
Previous studies have shown that pretreatment of skin with .beta.2-adrenoceptor stimulants antagonizes anti-human IgE elicited wheal and flare reactions in atopic and nonatopic subjects. This experimental system was employed to study further the hypothesis that atopic disease and bronchial asthma unrelated to atopy might be associated with a .beta.-adrenoceptor defect. Eight patients with extrinsic and 10 patients with intrinsic asthma deprived of oral bronchodilator treatment and corticosteroids for at least a week, and in a clinically stable condition, 10 patients with extrinsic rhinitis and on no treatment, as well as age and sex matched healthy control subjects showed almost identical dose-response relations for the inhibitory effect of intradermally injected terbutaline (0.25-100 ng), on anti-IgE elicited skin reactions. In 4 asthmatic patients the inhibitory effect of terbutaline did not change following a treatment period with oral terbutaline and theophylline. The data do not support the presence of a cutaneous mast cell .beta.2-adrenoceptor defect in patients with atopy or bronchial asthma unrelated to atopy.