Certain adverse reactions to
aspirin (ASA), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (
NSAIDs) and
pyrazolone derivatives resemble
IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. However, convincing evidence of
antigen-antibody interactions or inhibition of the
cyclooxygenase pathway of
arachidonic acid metabolism, stimulating the production of
leukotrienes (LTs) and decreasing the production of
prostaglandins (PGs), has not been presented. In this study, two types of specific
IgE antibodies have been found in six serum samples from eight ASA-sensitive patients with salicyloyl and O-methylsalicyloyl disks using the Radio Allergo Sorbent Test (RAST), whereas no positive result could be found with acetylsalicyloyl disks. Further investigation on the specificity of these
IgE antibodies and the chemical structure of their
epitopes were performed by cross-inhibition studies. The results are in favor of an
IgE-dependent mechanism involved in ASA sensitivity, and suggest that determination of specific
IgE antibodies would be a safe diagnostic method for ASA sensitivity in vitro.