Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.
2011 Dec;31(4):288-294.
Relationship between Body Mass Index and Serum Total IgE in Adult Patients with Nonatopic Respiratory Allergy
Abstract
- BACKGROUND
Serum total IgE levels are increased in some obese patients with nonatopic respiratory allergy. It has not yet been fully determined a significant relationship between total IgE and body mass index (BMI) in nonatopic patients. We sought to examine the relationship between total IgE and BMI in patients with nonatopic respiratory allergy.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 468 patietns with nonatopic asthma or allergic rhinitis without sensitization to 33 aeroallerens out of the 1,596 patients wirh respiratory allergic diseases who visitied Wonju Christian Hospital between June 2005 and July 2007. Nonatopy was determined by negative skin prick test results for all of the aeroallergens. Patients with were excluded from the study total IgE levels of >500 IU/mL because such levels were more frequently associated with other causes.
RESULTS
There were 468 patients with nonatopy and total IgE levels of <500 IU/mL (169 males and 299 females). The mean total IgE levels were 41.0 IU/mL in female patients with underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m2), 64.6 IU/mL in those with normal weight (18.5< or =BMI<23 kg/m2), 78.9 IU/mL in those with overweight (23< or =BMI<25 kg/m2), and 85.5 IU/mL in those with obesity (BMI> or =25 kg/m2). The mean total IgE levels were significantly higher in female patients with obesity or overweight than in those without (83.4 versus 61.8 IU/mL, P=0.036). There were no significant difference in serum total IgE levels according to BMI in male patients.
CONCLUSION
Obesity may be a contributor to increased total IgE levels in female patients with nonatopic respiratory allergy.