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Background: The relationship of serum antigen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the association of antigen-specific and total IgE with CVDs using data derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006. Methods and Results: The association of serum total or antigen-specific IgE levels with CVDs was analyzed by survey-weighted logistic regression modeling, adjusted by age, sex, race, education, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol consumption. 4953 subjects were included. Coronary heart disease was significantly related to serum total IgE levels. The association of serum total IgE levels with coronary heart disease was further validated by negative, ≥1 and 1-6 positive antigen-specific IgE. Myocardial infarction was positively associated with serum total IgE levels only when all antigen-specific IgE were negative, but inversely associated with serum total IgE when plant-specific IgE test results were positive. More specifically, myocardial infarction was also inversely related to positive oak, birch, or peanut-specific IgE. In addition, serum total IgE are positively associated with angina when at least one specific IgE were positive. Conclusions: Serum antigen-specific IgE, as well as total IgE, is significantly associated with CVDs independently of a long list of established cardiovascular risk factors, which is more informative than total IgE per se.

Background Background data on the allergic constitutions of a general population of Japanese children may provide important information regarding environmental factors that contribute to the increased incidence of allergic diseases and suggest clues for their prevention. Methods Serum samples were obtained from a general population of 3-year-old children (612 samples) in the Kanto area and Asahikawa city. The serum levels of total and specific IgE antibodies against food allergens (egg white, milk, soybean, wheat), indoor airborne allergens (house dust, mite, cat dandruff), and outdoor airborne allergens (Japanese cedar or white birch pollen allergens) were determined and analyzed, along with the results of a questionnaire regarding medical history, and allergy-related subjective symptoms. Results The mean total IgE level of all subjects was 34.7 IU/ml, while that for the Kanto and Asahikawa areas was 44.7 and 22.5 IU/ml, respectively. Twenty six percent of the 612 children were judged positive for indoor airborne allergen-specific IgE, and 6.7% were positive for food allergen-specific IgE. Cedar allergen-specific IgE was detected in 15.6% of the children living in the Kanto area. The total IgE level was strongly correlated with the number of allergens to which the child was sensitized. Conclusions A relatively large number (28.4%) of 3-year-old children possessed allergen-specific IgE antibodies. The basic data obtained in the general population in these two areas of Japan will be valuable for further evaluations of environmental influences on allergic disease.