The importance of specific IgE antibodies in the epidemiology of allergic rhinitis and asthma (ECAP survey): part five. The relationship between the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum and types of rhinitis

Andrzej Namysłowski; Agnieszka Lipiec; Wojciech Zieliński; Filip Raciborski; Edyta Krzych-Fałta; Krzysztof Samoliński; Anna Szylling; Bolesław Samoliński

doi:10.5114/ada.2023.130314

The importance of specific IgE antibodies in the epidemiology of allergic rhinitis and asthma (ECAP survey): part five. The relationship between the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum and types of rhinitis

Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2023 Oct;40(5):617-624. doi: 10.5114/ada.2023.130314. Epub 2023 Aug 4.

Authors

Andrzej Namysłowski¹, Agnieszka Lipiec¹, Wojciech Zieliński^{1

2}, Filip Raciborski¹, Edyta Krzych-Fałta¹, Krzysztof Samoliński³, Anna Szylling⁴, Bolesław Samoliński¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of the Prevention of Environmental Hazards, Allergology and Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
² Department of Econometrics and Statistics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
³ Department of Emergency Medical Services, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
⁴ Department of Allergology and Clinical Immunology of the Central Clinical Hospital, Warsaw, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: Specific immunoglobulins E (sIgE) are important parameters for the estimation of severity of allergic diseases.

Aim: To determine the relationship between the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum and types of rhinitis.

Material and methods: The concentration of sIgE antibodies against allergens Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat dander, timothy grass, and Alternaria alternata were determined in the serum of 4077 respondents randomly selected from 8 regions (ECAP study). The positive results of sIgE (≥ 0.35 IU/ml or ≥ 0.7 IU/ml) were correlated to clinical diagnosis (types of rhinitis, skin-prick tests).

Results: sIgE antibodies are more frequently detected in respondents with intermittent/seasonal allergic rhinitis and a negative skin-prick test as compared to healthy respondents with a negative skin-prick test (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Relating to allergens of D. pteronyssinus and cat dander, sIgE antibodies are more frequently detected in respondents with persistent/perennial allergic rhinitis and a negative or weakly positive skin-prick test as compared to healthy respondents with a negative or weakly positive skin-prick test (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The occurrence of intermittent/seasonal allergic rhinitis is much more probable in respondents with a negative skin-prick test, when IgE antibodies against the same allergen are detected. And the occurrence of persistent/perennial allergic rhinitis is much more probable in respondents with a negative or weakly positive skin-prick test with allergens of D. pteronyssinus or cat dander, when IgE antibodies against the same allergen are detected.

Keywords: ECAP; allergic rhinitis; skin-prick test; specific immunoglobulins E.