title: Change in prevalence of IgE sensitization and mean total IgE with age and cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cross-sectional studies show that the prevalence of IgE sensitization is lower in older age groups than younger age groups. This could reflect either a decrease in sensitization with aging or a higher prevalence of sensitization in more recent birth cohorts.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess change in IgE sensitization and mean total IgE in young adults as they age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum specific IgE to common allergens and total IgE were measured on 2 occasions about 9 years apart in 6371 young adults living in 28 centers, mainly in Western Europe, who took part in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II. Outcomes were analyzed by using generalized estimating equations, and adjustments were made for differences between laboratory measures on the 2 occasions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, there was no net change in the prevalence of sensitization to at least 1 of house dust mite, grass, or cat (net change per 10 years of follow-up, -0.1%; 95% CI, -1.7% to 1.5%), although there was a fall in mean total IgE (ratio of geometric mean total IgE, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.93). There was evidence that sensitization to at least 1 allergen was higher in more recent cohorts, and this was largely explained by a higher prevalence of sensitization to grass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The disease burden associated with IgE sensitization in adults, and particularly with IgE sensitization to grass, is likely to continue to increase for some time despite current evidence that the increase in allergy seen in children may have ceased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, King's College London, UK. deborah.jarvis@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jarvis
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luczynska
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chinn
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Potts
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sunyer
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.forename: Cecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Svanes
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Künzli
authors.forename: Bénédicte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leynaert
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerkhof
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ackermann-Liebrich
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Antó
authors.forename: Isa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cerveri
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Marco
authors.forename: Thorarinn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gislason
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neukirch
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vermeire
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wjst
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D040002:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus / Q000276:immunology; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D006109:Poaceae / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E