House dust mite-induced histamine release from washed blood cells. Evaluation of effect parameters

In a selected group of 60 house dust mite allergic asthmatics, the correlation between the bronchial sensitivity to house dust mite and effect parameters of mite-induced histamine release from washed blood cells was evaluated. Using a sensitive glass microfibre-based method, a significant positive correlation (r = 0.60; P less than 0.001) was found between bronchial allergen sensitivity and basophil cell sensitivity expressed as the house dust mite concentration necessary to give half the maximum histamine release. No correlation was found between bronchial sensitivity and other parameters of the histamine release response. This way of determining the histamine release from washed blood cells is a simple and valuable alternative to bronchial allergen challenge.