title: Longitudinal trends of total and allergen-specific IgE throughout childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The development and the quantitative relationship between allergen-specific IgE (S-IgE) responses and total IgE (T-IgE), during childhood and adolescence have not been described and understood in detail. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the longitudinal trends of serum levels of S-IgE and T-IgE during childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed data from participants in the MAS birth cohort study at 2, 5, 7 and 10 years of age (n = 273) and at 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 13 years (n = 84). Total-IgE and the overall level of specific-IgE against nine locally relevant airborne and food allergens were determined by FEIA (ImmunoCAP). Allergic rhino-conjunctivitis and asthma were ascertained by questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longitudinal patterns of T-IgE levels from age 1 to 13 years were highly heterogeneous (declining, flat or increasing with different profiles). From 5 years of age, logarithmic (log(10)) transformed values of T-IgE and of S-IgE levels tend to follow a parallel trend, so that their relation remained constant throughout school age. A flat trend of T-IgE vs a constantly increasing trend of T-IgE was associated with a low or, respectively, high rate of wheezing at 13 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Beginning at the age of 5 years, total serum IgE levels in children from an industrialized country evolved in parallel with overall S-IgE levels. Therefore, variations in T-IgE levels at school age closely reflect variations in overall S-IgE levels. Further studies are required to strengthen the biological and clinical implication of this novel finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité University Medical Center, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Matricardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bockelbrink
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grüber
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamelmann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wahn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E