Sensitization to cat allergen is common among young asthmatic patients in Japan, even among patients who do not keep cats. Use of CAP and the chimeric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay allows accurate diagnosis of cat allergy and quantification of specific IgE antibody levels.

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Skin tests of the nondialyzable fraction of lactose were performed on patients with a clinical diagnosis of cow's milk allergy. The yields of brownishtolored residue, allergens (ALG), were 0.006% from reagent grade lactose (ALG 1) and 0.011% from lactose used in a commercial infant food formula (ALG 2). The ALG was separated into four fractions by chromatography on Sephadex G-75. The highest incidences of positive skin reaction among the four ALG 1 and ALG 2 fractions were 8/9 and 8/12 respectively. The ALG fractions were identified as a sugar protein complex and the protein moiety of ALG contained high amounts of glutamic acid (or glutam-me), threonin, asparagic acid (or asparagine) and proline.

Relationships between theophylline concentrations in saliva and serum and lung functions were investigated in 27 asthmatic children receiving a sustained-release theophylline. Improvements in lung functions were related to increasing theophylline concentrations. The concentration required to maintain normal lung functions was 10 micrograms/ml in serum and 7 micrograms/ml in saliva. Theophylline concentrations in serum and saliva statistically correlated (r = 0.949). The mean serum - saliva ratio was 1.45 +/- 0.02, with a 13.7% intersubject and a 14.9% intrasubject variation. Predicted serum concentrations were +/- 2 micrograms/ml of measured concentrations in 92 samples (92%). From the results, theophylline concentrations in saliva may be useful in predicting serum values.