Table 2.

Allergen-induced changes in sputum, peripheral blood and bone marrow eosinophils

	Early responder asthmatics	Dual responder asthmatics
Sputum	(n = 7)	(n = 10)
″Pre-allergen	8 ± 1	21 ± 4
″7 hr post-allergen	54 ± 21**	147 ± 19**,†
″24 hr post-allergen	32 ± 12**	80 ± 8**,†
Peripheral blood	(n = 7)	(n = 10)
″Pre-allergen	33 ± 7	25 ± 3
″24 hr post-allergen	34 ± 8	42 ± 4**
Bone marrow	(n = 6)	(n = 5)
″Pre-allergen	2.9 ± 0.8%	3.8 ± 1.6%
″24 hr post-allergen	2.5 ± 0.6%	3.5 ± 1.4%

Data in the sputum and blood are presented as cells/104 per ml and as a percentage of total WBC in the bone marrow. In sputum, significant increases from baseline in eosinophils were detected at 7 hr and 24 hr post-allergen in both early- and dual- responder asthmatics. However, the allergen-induced shift at 7 hr and 24 hr was greater in dual- compared with early- responder asthmatics. A significant increase in blood eosinophil numbers was detected 24 hr post-allergen inhalation challenge in dual responder asthmatics only. There were no significant allergen-induced changes in bone marrow eosinophils in either group of asthmatic subjects when pre-allergen were compared with 24 hr post-allergen levels

^**P < 0.005 for within group analysis

^†P < 0.05 for between group analysis.