title: Total IgE plasma levels vary according to gender and age in Brazilian patients with allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Allergic rhinitis is a disease that affects the upper airways and causes inflammation of the nasal mucosa and it is mediated by IgE antibodies produced after sensitization to environmental allergens. Previous reports have indicated that this disease affects males more often than females. The objective of this study was to verify whether total IgE plasma levels vary between genders in patients suffering from allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 171 adult patients suffering from allergic rhinitis (55 males and 116 females) were enrolled. Total IgE plasma levels were determined using commercial kits, with 140 IU/mL considered as a reference value. The mean total IgE plasma levels were compared according to gender and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the overall patient group with allergic rhinitis was 38.4 ± 19.0 years and a significant difference in age was observed between genders (males: 32.2 ± 17.8 years; females: 41.4 ± 18.9 years; p=0.0027). Additionally, the mean total IgE plasma levels were higher in males (413.0 ± 143.0 IU/mL) than in females (147.9 ± 98.0 IU/mL) (p<0.0001). These differences persisted even when males and females were stratified by age (up to or older than 20 years of age).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, total IgE plasma levels are higher in young adult males than in females suffering from allergic rhinitis. Evaluating total IgE plasma levels can be useful to identify patients at risk of allergic rhinitis in areas with low industrial pollution.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Department of Molecular Biology, Immunogenetics Laboratory, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thaís Amarante Peres de
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Paula Couto
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Department of Molecular Biology, Immunogenetics Laboratory, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Falsarella
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Department of Molecular Biology, Immunogenetics Laboratory, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cinara de Cássia Brandão de
authors.initials: Cde C
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Department of Molecular Biology, Immunogenetics Laboratory, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos de
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mattos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E