IgE sensitization in a cohort of adolescents in southern Sweden and its relation to allergic symptoms

Therese Sterner,Åke Svensson,Magnus Bruze,Ada Uldahl,Magnus P Borres,Cecilia Svedman,Sigrid Sjölander,Laura Von Kobyletzki,Hampus Kiotseridis,Jonas Björk,Alf Tunsäter

doi:10.1186/s12948-019-0110-6

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a strong and consistent association between IgE sensitization and allergy, wheeze, eczema and food hypersensitivity. These conditions are also found in non-sensitized humans, and sensitization is found among individuals without allergy-related diseases. The aim of this study was to analyse the sensitization profile in a representative sample of the population, and to relate patterns of allergens and allergen components to allergic symptoms.MethodsA population of 195 adolescents took part in this clinical study, which included a self-reported questionnaire and in vitro IgE testing.ResultsSensitization to airborne allergens was significantly more common than sensitization to food allergens, 43% vs. 14%, respectively. IgE response was significantly higher in airborne allergens among adolescents with rhinitis (p < 0.001) and eczema (p < 0.01). Among 53 children with allergic symptoms according to the questionnaire, 60% were sensitized. Sensitization to food allergens was found among those with rhinitis, but only to PR-10 proteins. None of the participants had IgE to seed storage proteins.ConclusionThe adolescents in this study, taken from a normal Swedish population, were mainly sensitized to grass pollen and rarely to specific food allergens. The major grass pollen allergen Phl p 1 was the main sensitizer, followed by Cyn d 1 and Phl p 2. Sixty-one percent reporting any allergic symptom were sensitized, and the allergen components associated with wheeze and rhinoconjunctivitis were Fel d 4, Der f 2 and Can f 5.

Highlights

There is a strong and consistent association between IgE sensitization and allergy, wheeze, eczema and food hypersensitivity
Our results show that wheeze is associated with sensitization to the lipocalin protein group, and that allergic rhinoconjunctivitis is associated with sensitization to the PR-10 component and Phleum pratense
Results in relation to previous studies The relationship between IgE sensitization and atopic symptoms is well known from other studies all over the world, and the level of specific IgE has been found to be positively associated with the risk of developing allergic symptoms, other factors are involved [5, 19,20,21]

Summary

Introduction

There is a strong and consistent association between IgE sensitization and allergy, wheeze, eczema and food hypersensitivity. These conditions are found in non-sensitized humans, and sensitization is found among individuals without allergy-related diseases. An individual’s sensitization profile is clinically important due to the associated risk of the development and persistence of asthma and allergy symptoms throughout life [1, 2]. A limited amount of data is available on IgE sensitization and allergic multi-morbidity among children at the population level [4,5,6,7]. Most studies have focused on allergy morbidity in younger children, not on the clinical evaluation of the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity among teenagers [8, 9]. There is a Sterner et al Clin Mol Allergy (2019) 17:6 strong association between IgE sensitization and eczema, asthma and rhinitis, these diseases are found in nonsensitized individuals [12], and IgE sensitization is seen in individuals without allergy-related diseases [8, 13]

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