title: [Evaluating total serum IgE levels and peripheral eosinophil count in asthma and rhinitis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels and peripheral blood eosinophil counts are widely examined to evaluate patients with various allergic diseases. Asthma and allergic rhinitis often coexist. However, the significance of these indices for asthma and rhinitis under consideration of the status of co-existence has not been fully elucidated and was therefore examined in the present study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects comprised 347 adult residents in Kamishihoro town, Hokkaido. Relationships between two indices and asthma, rhinitis and their coexistence were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum IgE (sIgE) levels were significantly higher in asthma with (p<0.01) or without (p<0.01) rhinitis, regardless of atopic status, but not in rhinitis alone. Peripheral eosinophil counts were significantly higher only in asthma with rhinitis (p<0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with rhinitis, non-antigen-specific IgE production may contribute more to elevated levels of sIgE in asthma. In addition, the significance of sIgE and peripheral eosinophil count as indices of evaluating asthma and rhinitis might differ.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayumu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isada
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Kaoruko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hizawa
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E