[Sensitivity to the primary house dust allergen--dermatophagoides pteronyssinus--in patients with atopic dermatitis]

The study involved 117 adults and 535 children with atopic dermatitis. Immunoglobulins E against D. pteronyssinus--main allergen of the home dust--were assayed with RAST technique in children and FAST technique in adult patients. It was found that the blood serum IgE levels increase with patients' age and is the highest in patients with coexisting allergic respiratory diseases (difference statistically significant). RAST precision was compared with that of "prick" skin tests in the detection of allergy to home dust mites. Desensitization of 15 patients with home mite allergen produced satisfactory effects.