Factors influencing serum immunoglobulin E levels in Greek children

Abstract

Serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) were determined by enzyme immunoassay in 414 Greek infants and children of both sexes, 1 month to 14 years old. The children were admitted to the "Aghia Sophia" Teaching Hospital for Children (Athens, Greece) for surgical corrections of minor anatomic abnormalities, but they were otherwise healthy. Statistical analysis was performed through multiple regression after logarithmic transformation of the immunoglobulin values. IgE levels increased significantly by about 80% per year up to the age of 5 years, without noticeable impact of age on these levels thereafter. History of allergic disease showed a significant positive association with serum levels of IgE in both younger (less than 5 years) and older children. History of frequent infections was positively associated with IgE levels, although the relation was statistically significant only in the older age group, IgE levels in Greek children appear to be higher than the corresponding levels of children living in northern Europe, but much lower than those of children in Southeast Asia, a fact that may reflect different exposure level during childhood to infections known to influence IgE levels.

Evidence for a Peak Shift in a Humoral Response to Helminths: Age Profiles of IgE in the Shuar of Ecuador, the Tsimane of Bolivia, and the U.S. NHANES

“…A number of studies have noted that IgE is very low at birth, but increases rapidly in the first five years of life [23], [24], [52], [60]. However, most of these studies have been conducted in North America or Europe, and most report that IgE is relatively stable after age five or six without characterizing the degree of stability.…”

“…However, due to the relatively low number of Tsimane under age five, initial Tsimane models were essentially straight lines, with peak IgE predicted at birth. A number of studies have found extremely low IgE levels at birth (<1 IU/ml) [47]-[50], [23], [51], [52], even in infants of mothers with helminth infections and high IgE [53], [54]. Given the convergence of the other two models and these previous findings, we used dummy cases with age zero and IgE equal to 15 IU/ml to anchor Tsimane models to a similar intercept at birth.…”

Allergy markers in respiratory epidemiology

“…Total IgE are undetectable at birth except in allergic individuals. Among Greek children aged 1 month±14 yrs, total IgE levels increased by almost 80% per yr until 5 yrs of age [63]. Among children in the USA, followedup from birth to 4 yrs of age, the major increase was observed before the age of 2 yrs, although total IgE level increased even later [56].…”

“…Month of birth during pollen season may affect cord blood IgE and later in life serum IgE [63,80]. Both outdoor and indoor pollution exposure might be responsible for increased total IgE level.…”

Association of allergic sensitization with infectious diseases burden in Roma and non‐Roma children

“…The cutoff value for total IgE was set at 200 KU/l based on mean normal values +2 s.d. for the Greek children population of this age (16). Standard statistical procedures (χ 2 and χ 2 for trend) were used to assess the differences in demographic, lactation, and infections score variables of 47 atopic and 169 non‐atopic children.…”