Immunoglobulin E in Bronchiolitis.

Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) was measured by double antibody radioimmunoassay in 32 children with bronchiolitis and 30 age-matched control subjects. Bronchiolitis in 15 patients (Vermont group) was associated with a respiratory syncytial (RS) virus epidemic. Bronchiolitis occurred sporadically (nonepidemic) in 17 patients from Baltimore. The geometric mean serum IgE concentration of the sporadic bronchiolitis group (Baltimore) was significantly higher than that of their age- and race-matched controls (100 ng/ml versus 25 ng/ml, respectively, p