The purpose of this study was to determine the a-interferon (α-TFN) and α-interferon antibodies (α-IFN Ab) in allergic bronchial asthma and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their correlation to the disease activity. Sera from 22 healthy and 15 respiratory tract infection children were used as controls, twenty sera from inactive stage SLE, fifty-three sera from thirty-one newly diagnosed and twenty-two well treated asthmatic patients were studied. The α-IFN was determined with RIA (Sucrospe; Boots-Celltech Diagnostics Ltd, UK) and α-TFN Ab with EIA (ANAWA Laboratorien AG Switzerland). Serum α-IFN was detected in 53.3% (8/15) of respiratory tract infection, 40.0% (8/20) of SLE, 32.3% (10/31) of newly diagnosed and 22.7% (5/22) of well treated asthmatics. By contrast, it was undetectable in all healthy children. Serumα-IFN Ab was detected in 9.6% (3/31) of newly diagnosesd asthmatics only. The possible role of α-IFN and α-IFN Ab in the pathogenesis of allergic bronchial asthma and SLE has been discussed.
The purpose of this study was to determine the a-interferon (α-TFN) and α-interferon antibodies (α-IFN Ab) in allergic bronchial asthma and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their correlation to the disease activity. Sera from 22 healthy and 15 respiratory tract infection children were used as controls, twenty sera from inactive stage SLE, fifty-three sera from thirty-one newly diagnosed and twenty-two well treated asthmatic patients were studied. The α-IFN was determined with RIA (Sucrospe; Boots-Celltech Diagnostics Ltd, UK) and α-TFN Ab with EIA (ANAWA Laboratorien AG Switzerland). Serum α-IFN was detected in 53.3% (8/15) of respiratory tract infection, 40.0% (8/20) of SLE, 32.3% (10/31) of newly diagnosed and 22.7% (5/22) of well treated asthmatics. By contrast, it was undetectable in all healthy children. Serumα-IFN Ab was detected in 9.6% (3/31) of newly diagnosesd asthmatics only. The possible role of α-IFN and α-IFN Ab in the pathogenesis of allergic bronchial asthma and SLE has been discussed.