Abstract
Immunoglobulin (Ig) E has been shown to be a major contributing factor for the development of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in asthma. An elevation in serum IgE levels contributes to asthma and is considered a potent predictor of the development of asthma. The objectives of the present study were to estimate the levels of total serum IgE in asthmatic and healthy control subjects and to investigate the relationship of various demographic and clinical characteristics with the total serum IgE level in asthmatics. We measured the levels of total serum IgE using the ELISA kits (AccuBind, Monobind Inc., USA). The relevant demographic and clinical data were obtained using the questionnaire. The results showed that asthmatic children had significantly elevated level of total serum IgE compared to that of the healthy controls. The levels of total IgE and IL-4 in sera of 44 asthmatic children showed a significant positive correlation. Total serum IgE >150 IU/mL was found to be significantly associated with the age, exposure to cigarette smoke, and raised eosinophil count in asthmatic children. In conclusion, the elevated level of total serum IgE may demonstrate the allergic etiology of asthma in the subjects studied.