Oxidation phenotype as a risk factor for development of allergic diseases

: The relationship between genetically determined polymorphic metabolism and susceptibility to allergic diseases has aroused much interest. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether patients with allergic diseases, like atopic asthma and allergic rhinitis differ from healthy persons in their ability to oxidize sparteine as a model drug. The study was completed by 200 persons, 40 patients with allergic diseases--20 with atopic asthma and 20 with allergic rhinitis and 160 healthy volunteers as a control group. The results of our study revealed a predominance of very extensive metabolizers of sparteine among patients with allergic diseases in comparison with healthy volunteers. The difference in the oxidation metabolic ratio (MR) frequency distribution between patients with allergic diseases and healthy persons was statistically significant. Relative risk (odds ratio) of development of atopic asthma was 3.29 times higher, and that of allergic rhinitis 2.94 times higher for persons with very extensive oxidation phenotype. Our results represent some evidence for a possible relationship between extensive, rapid oxidation phenotype and the higher susceptibility to development of atopic asthma and allergic rhinitis.