engleski

Trends of Total Serum IgE Levels in an Adult Population of Croatia in a 20-Year Period (1976-1995)

Background. The aim of this study is an evaluation of total serum IgE level trend in adult population sample of Croatia in 20-year period with regards to gender, age, smoking habit, skin reactivity to inhalatory allergens, and living environment (urban or rural). Subjects and methods. A total of 794 adult subjects (393 males, 401 females) registered in the register of pre-employment and periodical examinations from the Unit for Occupational and Environmental Health, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia, were selected for this study. Only subjects with complete datasets: the year of examination, sex, age, home address, medical history with recorded relevant respiratory and skin symptoms, standard skin prick test (SPT) results to panel of inhalatory allergens and total serum IgE value measured by the PRIST method (Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, Uppsala, Sweden) were included in the study. SPT reaction was considered positive if the diameter of observed wheal was 3mm greater than that of buffer solution. Total IgE values were logarithmically transformed for normal distribution. Means were calculated after this transformation and expressed as median, geometric means (GM), and interquartile range (IR). The total IgE values greater than 125 IU/ml were considered increased. In order to examine the trend of total IgE over time, subjects were divided in 3 groups according to date of examination: group 1 examined in 1976-1980 (N= 215), group 2 examined in 1986-1990 (N= 237), and group 3 examined in 1991-1995 (N= 342). Results. Complete data were obtained from 794 subjects. From urban region there were 462 subjects (222 males, 240 females) and from rural region 332 (171 males, 161 females). There were no differences in proportion of smokers, positive SPT and subjects with relevant clinical symptoms between subjects from urban and rural region. Total IgE levels (GM) were similar in group 1, 2, and 3 for males (69.7, 47.1, and 54.9 IU/ml, respectively), and females (35.9, 40.2, and 34.0 IU/ml, respectively). In total sample of 794 subjects, factors connected with increased levels of total serum IgE were positive SPT to at least one tested inhalatory allergen (OR 2.71, 95%CI 1.82-4.05, P< 0.001) and rural residence (OR 1.54 ; 95%CI 1.07-2.21, P =0.0185 ). Females had significantly lower risk for presence of increased total IgE levels than males (OR 0.54, 95%CI 0.36-0.81, P =0.0027). Conclusion. Results suggest that mean levels of total IgE has not been changing significantly in adult men and women in Croatia through the analyzed 20-year period (1976-1995).Total IgE >125 IU/ml significantly correlated with SPT positivity to inhalatory allergens, rural residence and sex (male).

gender; immunoglobulin E; skin prick test

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