Evaluation of Total Serum Immunoglobulin E Levels in Asthma Patients

Abstract

Background and aim: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease mediated by immunologic mechanisms. The pathogenic role of immunoglobulin E (IgE) is always associated with the development of allergic diseases, especially asthma because it is highly responsive to the allergen. The present study aimed to estimate and compare total serum IgE levels in mild, moderate, and severe asthmatics and healthy controls (HC) and to obtain the relationship between serum IgE levels and asthma. Materials and Methods: For the present study, a total of 200 subjects that, include 100 asthma patients and 100 HC, were recruited from the south Indian population with prior consent. Spirometry with reversibility testing was done in all cases, and serum IgE levels were estimated using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Result: The total IgE levels were significantly high in asthmatics than in HC (P < 0.001). Total IgE levels in normal, mild, and moderate asthmatics were 121.51 IU/mL, 382.78 IU/mL, and 540 IU/mL, respectively, and no severe asthmatics were found in the study. Serum total IgE levels in allergic asthma patients were significantly higher than in smoking and family history of asthma patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to compare the total IgE levels in asthma patients versus HC, and the area under the curve for IgE was 0.62 (95% CI: 0.541–0.700), indicating the test was satisfactory with a statistically significant at P < 0.005. Conclusion: Total IgE levels were found to increase as the severity of asthma increased. Total IgE is essential in asthma and may be used as a diagnostics marker.