title: Staphylococcal enterotoxin specific IgE and asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent literature suggests that Staphylococcal enterotoxin specific IgE may be a risk factor for asthma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the associations between Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization and asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed for relevant case-control or population-based studies, published in the peer-reviewed journals until February 2013. Data were extracted on study designs, subjects, definitions and the prevalence of Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 683 studies were initially identified, of which 7 studies finally met the inclusion criteria (5 case-control and 2 population-based studies). All the included studies reported higher prevalence of the sensitization in asthmatics than in controls, despite clinical and methodological heterogeneity. In a meta-analysis, the pooled odds ratio of the sensitization for asthma was 2.95 (95% confidence intervals 2.28-3.82).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization was significantly associated with asthma. The mechanisms of associations warrant further elucidation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo-Jung
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hye-Ryun
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sang-Heon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kyung-Up
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Yoon-Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
keywords: Asthma; Meta-analysis; Staphylococcus