Seasonal variations of total histamine in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis

Abstract

Seasonal variations of total blood histamine were examined in twenty patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (Japanese cedar pollinosis). In blood specimens taken in the pollen season of 1978, the symptom-free season of 1978, and the pollen season of 1979, the mean values of blood histamine were 61.6, 50.0 and 84.2 ng/ml respectively. The differences in blood histamine levels between the pollen season of 1978 and the symptom-free season of 1978 and between the symptom-free season of 1978 and the pollen season of 1979 were statistically significant. In the symptom-free season of 1978, the blood histamine levels of twenty normal subjects were also examined; the mean value was 58.2 ng/ml. The blood histamine levels of the patients in the symptom-free season were not statistically different from those of the normal subjects.