title: Left-handedness: its association with allergic disease.
abstract: It has been postulated that anomalous cerebral dominance is associated with disorders of the immune system and increased incidence of autoimmune diseases has been reported in left-handed individuals. In this study, 313 patients attending an allergy clinic were assessed for left- and right-handedness, using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The results were compared to those in 350 age- and sex-matched control individuals. It was found that significantly more (P less than 0.02) left-handers than right-handers attended the clinic. Among atopic patients in general, patients with IgE-mediated symptoms, patients with urticaria and patients with eczema, there was a highly significant increase in left-handers (P less than 0.005). The results are discussed in terms of dominance.
authors: University of York, Department of Psychology, Heslington, U.K.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis; D004485:Eczema / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014581:Urticaria / Q000175:diagnosis