Higher IgE Levels Associated with More Severe Asthma

High levels of IgE are associated with asthma but currently we do not know if higher levels of IgE are associated with more severe asthma. Omalizumab binds to Cε3 region of IgE.

Researchers evaluated asthmatic patients with high IgE levels (higher than 100 IU/mL) and compared them to patients with asthma with low IgE levels (less than 100).

Patients with high IgE had a lower FEV1, forced expiratory flow, and FEV1/forced vital capacity. In addition, 55% of patients with high IgE had been previously hospitalized, compared with 44% of patients with asthma with low IgE.

In conclusion, IgE level may be inversely correlated with baseline lung function and asthma severity.

In the Clinic - Dr. Robert Wood, MD, Discusses the IgE Blood Allergy Test

Dr. Robert Wood, MD, Discusses the IgE Blood Allergy Test. InsiderMedicine.ca (video).



Severe asthma - differential diagnosis and management (click to enlarge the image).

References:
Association between IgE levels and asthma severity among African American, Mexican, and Puerto Rican patients with asthma. Mariam Naqvi at al. JACI, Volume 120, Issue 1, Pages 137-143 (July 2007).
Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.

Related:
In the Clinic - Dr. Robert Wood, MD, Discusses the IgE Blood Allergy Test. InsiderMedicine.ca (video).

Updated: 01/10/2008