title: Total serum IgE levels and atopic status in patients with sarcoidosis.
abstract: To date, two studies have reported lower total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and lower prevalence of atopy in patients with sarcoidosis compared with healthy subjects. However, those reports did not consider age or gender differences between cases and controls. In addition, the  association between total serum IgE levels and clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis has not been clarified. This study assessed total serum IgE levels and prevalence of atopy in patients with sarcoidosis after taking age and sex differences into account and evaluated associations between  total serum IgE levels and clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis. Total serum IgE levels and prevalence of atopy on initial visits were compared between 189 patients with sarcoidosis and 378 age- and sex-matched controls. Associations between total serum IgE levels and involvement of each  affected organ were evaluated. Changes in total serum IgE levels during the clinical course of sarcoidosis were also evaluated. Total serum IgE levels were significantly lower in patients with sarcoidosis than in controls, independent of atopic status (atopic subjects, p = 0.025; nonatopic  subjects, p < 0.001). Total serum IgE levels did not differ according to the involvement of different organs. Total serum IgE levels decreased further, albeit only slightly, after disease remission (p < 0.001). Increased susceptibility to sarcoidosis may be attributable to several underlying  genetic or environmental factors that result in lower total serum IgE levels.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shigemura
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shigehara
authors.forename: Noriharu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shijubo
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hizawa
authors.forename: Etsuro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D005123:Eye; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E