title: Cord IgE and ECP levels of Malay neonates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cord IgE and ECP levels are major atopic markers implicated in early childhood allergy development. Most epidemiological studies to date have not utilised current technology to establish baseline cord IgE levels, further aggravated by lack of data in this region. This study also attempts to identify a relationship between cord IgE and ECP levels as a mean to improve sensitivity for early prediction of atopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3183 cord blood IgE including 44 cord ECP samples of term neonates from Malay parentage were recruited. Total IgE and ECP levels were determined by ImmunoCAP and fluoroimmunoenzymatic, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cord IgE geometric mean was 0.15 kU/L. Males had higher IgE geometric mean than females (0.17 vs. 0.13). IgE values between 17 pair of twins was not significant (p=0.169). Frequency of males (29.9%) in >0.9 kU/L IgE category was higher than females (26.1%). In the <0.35 kU/L category, females had a higher frequency (44.8%) than males (39.1%). Males had significantly (p=0.023) higher IgE level than females. November and February had the highest mean and median cord IgE level whereas October and December were the lowest, respectively. IgE level across months was not significant (p=0.234). Cord ECP mean was 5.21 g/L and median was 3.75 μg/L. There was no significant correlation (p=0.513; r=-0.101) between cord blood ECP and IgE levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cord blood IgE level of Malay male neonates was significantly higher than females. These results do not support cord ECP as plausible adjunct parameter to IgE for early atopic detection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pulmonary, University of Texas Health Science, Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Aravind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naidu
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000097:blood*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008296:Malaysia; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein
keywords: Allergic disease; Cord blood; ECP; IgE