title: High titers of IgE antibody to dust mite allergen and risk for wheezing among asthmatic children infected with rhinovirus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relevance of allergic sensitization, as judged by titers of serum IgE antibodies, to the risk of an asthma exacerbation caused by rhinovirus is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to examine the prevalence of rhinovirus infections in relation to the atopic status of children treated for wheezing in Costa Rica, a country with an increased asthma burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  The children enrolled (n= 287) were 7 through 12 years old. They included 96 with acute wheezing, 65 with stable asthma, and 126 nonasthmatic control subjects. PCR methods, including gene sequencing to identify rhinovirus strains, were used to identify viral pathogens in nasal washes. Results were examined in relation to wheezing, IgE, allergen-specific IgE antibody, and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four percent of wheezing children compared with 13% of children with stable asthma and 13% of nonasthmatic control subjects had positive test results for rhinovirus (P< .001 for both comparisons). Among wheezing subjects, 75% of the rhinoviruses detected were group C strains. High titers of IgE antibodies to dust mite allergen (especially Dermatophagoides species) were common and correlated significantly with total IgE and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide levels. The greatest risk for wheezing was observed among children with titers of IgE antibodies to dust mite of 17.5 IU/mL or greater who tested positive for rhinovirus (odds ratio for wheezing, 31.5; 95% CI, 8.3-108; P< .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High titers of IgE antibody to dust mite allergen were common and significantly increased the risk for acute wheezing provoked by rhinovirus among asthmatic children.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nacional de Niños, San José, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soto-Quiros
authors.forename: Lydiana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: Thomas A E
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Platts-Mills
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Dean D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Erdman
authors.forename: Holliday
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carper
authors.forename: Deborah D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Odio
authors.forename: Hayley R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Patrie
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Ashli K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Steinke
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Heymann
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D045853:Exhalation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000939:Epitopes; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007073:Immunoglobulin E