title: Prevalence of allergic sensitization in the United States: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic sensitization is an important risk factor for the development of atopic disease. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006 provides the most comprehensive information on IgE-mediated sensitization in the general US population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated clustering, sociodemographic, and regional patterns of allergic sensitization and examined risk factors associated with IgE-mediated sensitization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for this cross-sectional analysis were obtained from NHANES 2005-2006. Participants aged 1 year or older (n = 9440) were tested for serum specific IgEs (sIgEs) to inhalant and food allergens; participants 6 years or older were tested for 19 sIgEs, and children aged 1 to 5 years were tested for 9 sIgEs. Serum samples were analyzed by using the ImmunoCAP System. Information on demographics and participants' characteristics was collected by means of questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the study population aged 6 years and older, 44.6% had detectable sIgEs, whereas 36.2% of children aged 1 to 5 years were sensitized to 1 or more allergens. Allergen-specific IgEs clustered into 7 groups that might have largely reflected biological cross-reactivity. Although sensitization to individual allergens and allergen types showed regional variation, the overall prevalence of sensitization did not differ across census regions, except in early childhood. In multivariate modeling young age, male sex, non-Hispanic black race/ethnicity, geographic location (census region), and reported pet avoidance measures were most consistently associated with IgE-mediated sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall prevalence of allergic sensitization does not vary across US census regions, except in early life, although allergen-specific sensitization differs based on sociodemographic and regional factors. Biological cross-reactivity might be an important but not the sole contributor to the clustering of allergen-specific IgEs.
authors: Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC.
authors: Päivi M
authors: PM
authors: Salo
authors: Rho Federal Systems Division, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors: Samuel J
authors: SJ
authors: Arbes
authors: Social & Scientific Systems, Durham, NC.
authors: Renee
authors: R
authors: Jaramillo
authors: Rho Federal Systems Division, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors: Agustin
authors: A
authors: Calatroni
authors: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors: Charles H
authors: CH
authors: Weir
authors: Rho Federal Systems Division, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors: Michelle L
authors: ML
authors: Sever
authors: Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC.
authors: Jane A
authors: JA
authors: Hoppin
authors: Social & Scientific Systems, Durham, NC.
authors: Kathryn M
authors: KM
authors: Rose
authors: National Jewish Health, Denver, and University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo.
authors: Andrew H
authors: AH
authors: Liu
authors: Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.
authors: Peter J
authors: PJ
authors: Gergen
authors: Rho Federal Systems Division, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors: Herman E
authors: HE
authors: Mitchell
authors: Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC. Electronic address: zeldin@niehs.nih.gov.
authors: Darryl C
authors: DC
authors: Zeldin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Allergen; allergic sensitization; allergy; serum IgE