Total serum IgE and eosinophil count in children with and without a history of asthma, wheezing, or atopy in an urban community in Indonesia. The Respiratory Disease Working Group.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of the study were to assess total serum IgE and eosinophil count in a random sample of 20% of the children between 12 and 54 months old in a suburban community of Bandung, Indonesia, and to investigate a possible relationship between these values and atopy, asthma or wheezing and parasite infestation.


METHODS
Two hundred sixty-nine children were examined at the Integrated Primary Health Care Unit, and the parents or guardians were interviewed with the use of a standardized questionnaire.


RESULTS
The overall median value of IgE was 436 IU/ml (range, 18 to 9707 IU/ml); almost 94% of the children showed an IgE value of more than 100 IU/ml, and 29% showed a value of more than 1000 IU/ml. The median value for eosinophils was 580/mm3 (range, 70 to 5090/mm3); only 31% of the children had less than 400 eosinophils/mm3. IgE levels and eosinophilia were not related to age but showed a significant, although not high, correlation with each other (p < 0.05). In about 36% of the children parasites were demonstrated in a single stool sample; in those subjects eosinophilia and IgE values tended to be greater, but the difference was not significant. About 7% of the children had asthma, and in those subjects the eosinophil counts and IgE levels were much more increased (p < 0.001 and p approximately 0.01, respectively). No difference was found in IgE or eosinophil count in relation to other forms of atopy in the child (milk-induced dermatitis, urticaria, eczema, rhinitis) or in relation to a history of asthma or atopy in other family members. Yet, the occurrence of asthma in the child was significantly related to a history of asthma in other family members.


CONCLUSIONS
IgE values and eosinophilia are markedly increased in these children under 5 years of age in Bandung, Indonesia, and the highest values are found in the 7% with asthma.
Kartasamita
C B
CB
Medical Faculty, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia.
Rosmayudi
O
O
Demedts
M
M
D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004804:Eosinophils; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D014505:Urban Population
D007073:Immunoglobulin E