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BRIEF REPORT |
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Year : 1989 | Volume
: 37
| Issue : 3 | Page : 155-156 |
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Blood histaminase in phlyctenulosis
NP Verma, SS Gambhir, JS Mathur
34, MCPW, PMCI-1, PATNA - 800 004, India
Correspondence Address: N P Verma 34, MCPW, PMCI-1, PATNA - 800 004 India
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None | Check |
PMID: 2517271
Blood Histaminase estimations were done in 42 cases of phlyctenulosis and 25 normal subjects. Significantly higher level of blood Histaminase was found in patients of phlyctenulosis, which may be a consequence of its induction secondary to increased release of histamine in the early phase of disease Keywords: Blood histaminase, Phlyctenulosis
How to cite this article: Verma N P, Gambhir S S, Mathur J S. Blood histaminase in phlyctenulosis. Indian J Ophthalmol 1989;37:155-6 |
Introduction | | |
Phlyctenulosis remains an Ophthalmic riddle regarding its aetiology, inspite of much experimental as well as clinical work done. Riehm,1928 [1] Bjoekenheim,1951 [2] and many other workers thought of its occurrence on the basis of non-specific endogenous microbial allergy. As the role of histaminase in allergy is now established, the present work was undertaken to evaluate its blood levels in patients with phlyctenulosis.
MATERIAL & METHODS | | |
Clinically proved cases of phlyctenulosis were taken for this study. In the control group, the subjects were randomly picked from those patients who had come for refractive check-up and who were not suffering from any systemic or local allergy nor was there any positive family history of allergy. It was ensured that these patients were not taking any systemic drugs e.g. Cortisone, anti-histamine etc.
The estimation of blood histaminase was done in 42 cases of phlyctenulosis and 25 normal individuals by the method of Arsen and Kemp, 1964 [3]. The intensity of coloration was estimated colorimetrically on a Carl Zeiss spectro-photometer at 470 mu, after 4 hours of incubation of the blank and test mixtures a t room temperature. Change in O.D. (Optical Density) per ml. of plasma = (O.D. of test solution -O.D, of blank) x 10. Change of 0.01 O.D. was taken as 1 P. U. (Provisional unit) of histaminase.
Its level was also studied in different types of phlyctenula sis and in cases exhibiting recurrence.
Results | | |
The mean (± S.E.) blood histaminase activity in control group was 399.0 ± 23.4 P. U./ml., the highest and lowest values being 662.5 P. U. and 202.5 P. U./ml. respectively. In the diseased group out of 42 phlyctenulosis cases, mean (± S. E. ) blood histaminase activity was 632. 6 ± 33.0 P. U./ml., the highest and lowest values being 1087.0 and 185.5 P. U./ml. respectively. The difference in the value of histaminase activity in the two groups was highly significant (Table 1) showing higher activity of histaminase in the diseased group.
In patients having first attack of phlyctenulosis, the mean (± S. E.) blood histaminase level was 671.42 ± 45.7 P.U./ml. whereas in the recurrence group, it was 575.6 ± 44.4 P.U./ml. The difference in value in the two workers. Logan, 1961 [4] reported high plasma histaminase level during anaphylactic shock. Kameshwaran et al, 1968[ 5] noted its raised level in allergic rhinitis, while Guha et al, 1970 [6] observed increased plasma histaminase activity in status asthmaticus. Interestingly Kerr, 1964 [7] observed a decreased level of histamine metabolism in status asthmaticus.
In the present work, blood histaminase level in cases of phlyctenulosis showed a highly significant increase over the control group. Our finding is in complete agreement with the findings of most of the workers who found raised blood histaminase levels in various allergic conditions. This rise in histaminasc can be a consequence of induction of the enzyme secondary to the release of histamine which after release from mast cells would be partly oxidised by the histaminase. It would be interesting to follow blood histamine and histaminase levels in a parallel study and study their time course relationship to the progress of disease from its very onset.
The level of blood histaminasc in different types of phlyctenulosis did not show any marked change from one another indicating that systemic reflections are similar irrespective of the clinical type of the disease.
The break up of blood histaminase levels in phlyctenulosis based on whether it was the first attack of the disease or its recurrence, didn't show any difference between the two groups. This implies that blood histaminase value once raised during the acute attack, groups was statistically insignificant [Table - 3].
Discussion | | |
Blood Histaminase activity has been reported to be increased in allergic conditions by many registers no change in subsequent attacks of the disease. It is probable that the basic allergic process continues while symptoms show recurrence only when precipitating factors operate.
References | | |
1. | Richm, W. : Uber experimentelle anaphlyaktische kerato conjunctivitis amkanin-changuage zubeich ien beitrag zur augfassung uber dieatiologie der skrofulosen augeneutzundung. ArchAugenh 99: 438,1928. |
2. | Bjorkenjeim, B. : Precipitating factors in P. K., Acta Ophth. Suppl. XXXVI Copenhegen 1951. |
3. | Arsen,P.N.&iKemp, A:Rapid spectro photomctricmicro method for determination of histaminase activity. Nature, 204: 1195, 1964 |
4. | Logan, G.B. : Release of histamine destroying factor during ana phylactic shock in guineapigs. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. and Med. 107 : 466-469, 1961. |
5. | Kameshwaran, L., KanKambal, K. & Vijay Shekharan. : Studies on plasma histaminase levels in normal and allergic individuals. Ind. J. Physiol. and Pharmacol. 12:159-165, 1968. |
6. | Guha, T., Chakravarty, H.S. Bose, A. & Lahiri, S.C. : Plasma histaminase level in status asthamaticus.Bull.Cal.SchoolTrop. Med. 18:37-39, 1970 |
7. | Kerr,J.W. : Identification of histamine metabolite I - methyl 4- imi dazole acetic acid in human urine and its absence in status asthmaticus. Brit. Med. J. 2: 606-608, 1964. |
[Table - 1], [Table - 2], [Table - 3]
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