SummaryWe have measured the concentrations of mediators of hypersensitivity in the sputum of twenty‐five young, symptomatic cigarette smokers who regularly expectorated and twenty‐three matched non‐smokers with a respiratory infection. The measurements included sputum and blood eosinophils, IgE, IgG, IgA and IgM and also sputum histamine. We found a significant increase of sputum histamine, and a higher sputum/serum ratio of IgE in smokers when compared to non‐smokers. These findings support the view that the bronchial inflammatory response in smokers, as in chronic bronchitis, involves the participation of mediators of hypersens
展开▼
