Clinical characteristics of study participants
| Volunteer | M/F | Age (years) | HLA-DRB1 alleles | SPT to Phleum pretense (mm)* | SPT to other allergens | IgE to Phleum pretense (IU/mL) | Total IgE (IU/mL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergic | 7:4 | ||||||
| URM 018 | M | 29 | 1:15 | 6 | Nil | 1.49 | 3.0 |
| URM 022 | F | 26 | 1:10 | 10 | D | 100.0 | 760.0 |
| URM 028 | M | 34 | 1:4 | 6 | D, M | 9.66 | 26.0 |
| URM 031 | M | 49 | 1:4 | 9 | C, D, H | 5.70 | 229.0 |
| URM 039† | F | 42 | 1:14 | 13 | Nil | 9.21 | 15.0 |
| URM 044 | M | 45 | 1:4 | 9 | A, C, D | 2.98 | 23.0 |
| URM 067 | M | 41 | 1:13 | 6 | B, C, D, M | 11.8 | 36.0 |
| URM 068 | F | 36 | 1:3 | 11 | B, HDM | 9.13 | 107.0 |
| URM 069 | M | 58 | 1:15 | 13 | B, C, D, HDM | 7.98 | 89.0 |
| URM 074 | F | 45 | 1:3 | 10 | B, D | 23.4 | 73.0 |
| URM 087 | M | 38 | 1:1502 | 7 | B, M | 15.4 | 123.0 |
| Non-allergic | 6:4 | ||||||
| URM 095 | M | 38 | 1:3 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 53.0 |
| URM 213 | M | 41 | 1:7 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 5.0 |
| URM 222 | F | 48 | 1:14 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 25.0 |
| URM 302 | M | 25 | 1:7 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 7.0 |
| URM 304 | M | 37 | 1:3 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 35.0 |
| URM 306 | M | 47 | 1:7 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 26.0 |
| URM 308 | M | 27 | 1:15 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 15.0 |
| URM 318 | F | 24 | 1:4 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 4.0 |
| URM 321 | F | 29 | 1:3 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 18.0 |
| URM 322 | F | 29 | 1:12 | 0 | Nil | <0.35 | 3.0 |
*Size of wheal defined as (Dl/dp)/2, where Dl is the longest diameter and dp is the diameter mid-orthogonal to Dl.
†Currently undergoing immunotherapy.
There is no significant difference in age between individuals with and without allergy in the study groups; mean age (±SEM), allergic 40 (3) years; non-allergic 34.5 (3) years (age: allergic vs non-allergic; p=0.1597). An unpaired t test was used to determine significant differences between groups. Statistically significant differences were defined as a p value of less than 0.05. The HLA-DRB1 genotype was determined by PCR-based HLA genotyping; HLA-DRB1*0101 patients were selected as a study group on the grounds that this is a common allele in the UK population and facilitated matched studies in the HLA-DRB1*0101 transgenic mouse model. Entries against each patient indicate that they are DRB1*0101, with the other allele carried by them indicated after the colon.
A, Alternaria alternata; B, Betula verrucosa; C, cat hair; D, dog hair; H, horse dander; HLA, human leukocyte antigen; HDM, house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; M, mugwort; SPT, skin prick test.