[Relation between IgE levels and infections in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma].
BACKGROUND
High IgE levels are frequent in allergic patients. The relationship between allergy and infections is controversial. Some diseases with cellular immunodeficiencies as well as with infections have high IgE levels, such as: hyper-IgE, Netherton, Wiskott-Aldrich, DiGeorge syndromes, AIDS, etc. In a previous retrospective study we found a high percentage of concurrent infections (two or more simultaneous infections) in atopic patients with IgE levels above 200 IU (OR 3.31; CI 95% 1.3 to 8.04; p < 0.01). The Th1/Th2 paradigm tries to explain the IgE elevation in atopy. A minor Th1 function would favor infectious processes by a reduction in TNF-alpha and IFNg.


OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate if atopic patients with high IgE levels (> 200 IU) have more frequency of concurrent infections than patients with low levels.


METHODS
In a cross sectional study we included patients with atopic rhinitis, asthma or both, in order to find upper and lower respiratory tract infections.


RESULTS
We studied 143 patients (IgE mean, 389.07; SD 606.21). IgE levels were higher in children (521.25 UI) than in adults (204.03 UI) (p < 0.05). 73.44% of the patients had sinusitis; 5.59% pharyngotonsillitis; 17.93% otitis, and 7.74% laryngitis, without IgE mean differences. 42.84% had concurrent infections (IgE 296.16 IU) vs 57.15% without this processes (460.4 IU) (p = 0.11). When IgE levels were classified in high and low levels, with 200 IU as end point, we did not find differences in the number of infectious diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study high IgE levels did not have correlation with the higher frequency of concurrent infections.
Gameros Gardea
René A
RA
Hospital General Regional Núm 1, IMSS, Chihuahua, Chih, Facultad de Medicina, UACH. rgamg@prodigy.net.mx
Céspedes de Gómez
Martha
M
Sanin
Luz Helena
LH
Pizarro Chávez
Salvador
S
Jiménez
Jorge
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*
D007073:Immunoglobulin E