title: Smoking status and immunoglobulin E seropositivity to workplace allergens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Detection of serum-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) can be helpful in the diagnosis of work-related allergic conditions. There have been conflicting reports regarding any association between smoking and specific IgE levels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish whether a relationship exists between smoking status and the outcome of specific IgE tests to workplace allergens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Health and Safety Laboratory provides test services for workplace allergens and the request form used collects data on smoking status. Laboratory results of 695 subjects who had undergone specific IgE tests were examined by information on smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Smokers were more likely than non-smokers to have positive specific IgE tests (P < 0.05). Smoking was the only independent predictor of a positive specific IgE test in logistic regression, with odds ratio of 2.39 (95% confidence interval 1.01-5.65, P < 0.05) for IgE seropositivity. Allergen subgroups also showed a positive association with smoking and in particular for high molecular weight allergens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Being a current smoker is a risk factor for sensitization to workplace allergens especially for those of high molecular weight. Workplace well-being activities may make use of such information for smoking cessation programmes and emphasizing the importance of allergen exposure control. Collaboration between testing laboratories may provide useful datasets for further analysis.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Workplace Health, Health and Safety Laboratory, Buxton SK17 9JN, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adisesh
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gruszka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E