Allergic and nonallergic forms of atopic diseases

N Novak, T Bieber - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2003 - Elsevier
Atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma are atopic diseases that develop on a complex
genetic background, the so-called atopic diathesis. Although they target different organs, in
most patients they are characterized by the presence of elevated total serum IgE levels.
However, a subgroup of atopic patients exhibits normal IgE levels and mechanisms
contributing to the so-called “intrinsic” or “nonallergic form” have been the matter of intensive
research work in the last years. Because of the rapid advancements in the research field of …