title: Serum IgE in nonatopic smokers, nonsmokers, and recent exsmokers: relation to lung function, airway symptoms, and atopic predisposition.
abstract: The influence of smoking on serum IgE (s-IgE) was studied in a selected nonatopic population. The variation in s-IgE was followed during 1 year of smoking abstinence. The study included 287 smokers and 137 never smokers. IgE was higher in smokers compared with IgE in never smokers (p less than 0.005). Male smokers had higher s-IgE than female smokers (p less than 0.01). S-IgE was independent of age and claims of atopy among first-degree relatives. Weighted pack-years consumption was defined for cigarette smokers by modifying pack-years consumption by nicotine content of the brand smoked. Weighted pack-years consumption was associated with level of s-IgE (p less than 0.05). S-IgE was higher in smokers with airway symptoms compared with that in smokers without symptoms (p less than 0.01). In smokers older than 50 years of age, there tended to be decreased FEV1 residuals (0.05 less than p less than 0.06), and presence of airway symptoms was (p less than 0.03) associated with high levels of s-IgE independent of each other. In 92 quitters, s-IgE increased during the first 26 weeks of abstinence (p less than 0.05), and after 1 year, s-IgE had returned to baseline. The increase was only observed in smokers younger than 40 years and had no relation to variations in FEV1 during the 1-year follow-up. The increase in s-IgE after smoking cessation was transient, of minor clinical importance, and probably caused by a relief from an immunosuppressive influence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dahl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E