title: Association of haptoglobin phenotypes with serum levels of IgE and IgA in allergic rhinitis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an allergic disorder of the nasal tissue that underlies diseases such as sinusitis, otits and asthma. Different predisposing factors including immunological and non-immunological factors contribute to the disease pathogenesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate association of haptoglobin (Hp) phenotypes (Hp1-1, 2-1 and 2-2) with serum immunoglobulins A and E levels in patients suffering from AR in comparison with healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and forty patients and 240 healthy individual entered in this case-control study. Serum levels of IgE and IgA were measured and haptoglobulin phenotypes were determined by electrophoresis. The results were evaluated by χ2 statistical test using SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum electrophoresis showed that the distribution of haptoglobin phenotypes of Hp1-1, Hp2-1 and Hp2-2 among 240 patients were 11.3%, 37.9% and 50.8%, respectively. The distribution of different haptoglobin phenotypes in healthy controls were 88.7%, 36.6% and 54.7%, respectively. However, the difference between patients and controls was not statistically significant (p=0.136). The mean of IgE level was significantly higher in patients than controls in association with all three phenotypes (p<0.001). Mean of IgA serum level was also significantly different between case and control groups for Hp1-1 (p<0.048) and Hp2-2 phenotypes (p<0.027).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that there is an association of all three haptoglobin phenotypes with IgE level. Hp1-1 and Hp2-2 phenotypes showed association with IgA in allergic rhinitis, as well. However, we cannot solely attribute these associations to the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Hematology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran, e-mail: hkhazaei118@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hossein Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Khazaei
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakhaei
authors.forename: Gholam Ali
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dashti
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hejazenia
authors.forename: Noura
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehrangeez
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khazaei
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D007073:Immunoglobulin E