IgE antibodies in relation to prevalence and multimorbidity of eczema, asthma, and rhinitis from birth to adolescence.
BACKGROUND
Eczema, asthma, and rhinitis affect a large proportion of children, but their prevalence varies with age. IgE antibodies are also common in the pediatric population. However, the links between IgE, disease, and trajectories are unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To better understand the links between sensitization and disease, we studied IgE sensitization ever in relation to eczema, asthma, and rhinitis, in children followed up to 16 years of age.


METHODS
From the Swedish population-based birth cohort BAMSE, 2607 children were included. Parental reports from six time points between 1 and 16 years were used to identify children with eczema, asthma, and rhinitis. Blood was collected at 4, 8, and 16 years, and sensitization ever was defined as allergen-specific IgE ≥0.35 kUA /l to common food and/or inhalant allergens at any time point. Odds ratios for eczema, asthma, rhinitis, and multimorbidity in relation to sensitization ever were calculated using generalized estimating equations.


RESULTS
Fifty-one percent were sensitized at least once up to 16 years. Almost a quarter of ever-sensitized children did not have any disease. After adjustment for potential confounders, sensitization ever was significantly associated with the following: (i) eczema throughout childhood, (ii) multimorbidity of eczema, asthma, and rhinitis from 1 to 16 years (OR for multimorbidity: 5.11, 95% CI: 3.99-6.55), (iii) asthma and rhinitis from 4 to 16 years of age.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific IgE is strongly associated with eczema and allergic multimorbidity throughout childhood and with asthma and rhinitis from age 4 years. However, 23% of the children with IgE sensitization do not develop any disease in childhood.
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.|Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, South General Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
N
N
Ballardini
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
A
A
Bergström
Dermatology and Venereology Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Solna, Stockholm, Sweden.
C-F
CF
Wahlgren
Clinical Immunology and Allergy Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
M
M
van Hage
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
E
E
Hallner
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.|Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
I
I
Kull
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.|Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, South General Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
E
E
Melén
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain.|IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.|CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
J M
JM
Antó
Department of Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, University Hospital and INSERM, Montpellier, France.
J
J
Bousquet
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.|Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, South General Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
M
M
Wickman
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
IgE; asthma; atopic dermatitis; epidemiology; rhinitis