Search

Introduction: Specific immunoglobulins E (sIgE) are important parameters for the estimation of severity of allergic diseases., Aim: To determine the relationship between the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum and types of asthma., Material and Methods: The concentration of sIgE antibodies against allergens Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus , cat dander, timothy grass, and Alternaria alternata were determined in the serum of 4077 respondents randomly selected from 8 regions (ECAP study). The positive results of sIgE (≥ 0.35 IU/ml or ≥ 0.7 IU/ml) were correlated to clinical diagnosis (types of asthma, skin-prick tests)., Results: sIgE antibodies against any allergen were detected in 9.9% (classes 1-6)/7.6% (classes 2-6) of healthy respondents. Comparing sIgE antibodies of respondents with intermittent asthma to sIgE antibodies of respondents with persistent asthma, no statistically significant differences were identified. Relating to allergens of D. pteronyssinus , cat dander, and A. alternata , sIgE antibodies were more frequently detected in respondents with atopic asthma and a negative skin-prick test as compared to healthy respondents with a negative skin-prick test ( p < 0.005 to p < 0.001). Relating to allergens of D. pteronyssinus , cat dander, and timothy grass, sIgE antibodies were more frequently detected in respondents with atopic asthma and a weakly positive skin-prick test as compared to healthy respondents with weakly positive skin-prick test ( p < 0.05 to p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Regarding subjects with a negative or weakly positive skin test, when sIgE antibodies to the same allergen are detected, asthma is much more likely to occur., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Termedia Sp. z o. o.)

Introduction: Specific immunoglobulins E (sIgE) are important parameters for the estimation of severity of allergic diseases., Aim: To determine the relationship between the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum and types of rhinitis., Material and Methods: The concentration of sIgE antibodies against allergens Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus , cat dander, timothy grass, and Alternaria alternata were determined in the serum of 4077 respondents randomly selected from 8 regions (ECAP study). The positive results of sIgE (≥ 0.35 IU/ml or ≥ 0.7 IU/ml) were correlated to clinical diagnosis (types of rhinitis, skin-prick tests)., Results: sIgE antibodies are more frequently detected in respondents with intermittent/seasonal allergic rhinitis and a negative skin-prick test as compared to healthy respondents with a negative skin-prick test ( p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Relating to allergens of D. pteronyssinus and cat dander, sIgE antibodies are more frequently detected in respondents with persistent/perennial allergic rhinitis and a negative or weakly positive skin-prick test as compared to healthy respondents with a negative or weakly positive skin-prick test ( p < 0.05 to p < 0.001)., Conclusions: The occurrence of intermittent/seasonal allergic rhinitis is much more probable in respondents with a negative skin-prick test, when IgE antibodies against the same allergen are detected. And the occurrence of persistent/perennial allergic rhinitis is much more probable in respondents with a negative or weakly positive skin-prick test with allergens of D. pteronyssinus or cat dander, when IgE antibodies against the same allergen are detected., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Termedia Sp. z o. o.)

Introduction: Specific immunoglobulins E (sIgE) are important parameters to estimate the severity of allergic diseases., Aim: To determine the influence of gender, age and place of residence on the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum., Material and Methods: The concentration of sIgE antibodies against allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat dander, timothy grass, Alternaria alternata were determined in serum of 4077 respondents randomly selected from 8 regions (ECAP study). The positive results of sIgE (≥ 0.35 IU/ml) were correlated with answers to ECAP questionnaires., Results: IgE antibodies are less frequently detected in respondents living in the country ( p < 0.05 to p < 0.005); and they are less frequently detected in respondents living in cities of hardly industrialised regions than in respondents living in cities of industrialised regions (D. pteronyssinus p < 0.05, cat dander p < 0.01). IgE antibodies are more frequently detected in men ( p < 0.005 to p < 0.001). IgE antibodies are more frequently detected in respondents born in May-July (timothy grass p < 0.005, Alternaria alternata p < 0.005) and less frequently detected in respondents born in August-October (timothy grass p < 0.005, Alternaria alternata p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Characteristics of the urban environment, non-specific factors and gender affect the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum. Influence of seasonal allergens within the first months of life and/or in the course of the foetal period alters the production of specific IgE antibodies., (Copyright: © 2022 Termedia Sp. z o. o.)

Introduction: Specific immunoglobulins E (sIgE) are important parameters to estimate severity of allergic diseases., Aim: To determine the relationship between the concentration of sIgE antibodies in serum and clinical outcome of allergic diseases., Material and Methods: The concentration of sIgE antibodies against allergens Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat dander, Timothy grass, Alternaria alternata were determined in serum of 4077 respondents randomly selected from 9 regions (ECAP study). Positive results of sIgE (≥ 0.35 IU/ml) were correlated with answers in ECRHSII and ISAAC questionnaires., Results: IgE antibodies are more frequently detected in respondents aged over 4 years when they had their first attack of asthma (cat dander p < 0.05, Timothy grass p < 0.05). IgE antibodies are less frequently detected in respondents aged over 29 years when they had the first allergic rhinitis symptoms as compared to respondents aged 0-19 years when they had the first allergic rhinitis symptoms ( p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Among respondents showing allergic rhinitis symptoms, IgE antibodies are more frequently detected in respondents showing those symptoms from May to August ( p < 0.05 to p < 0.005)., Conclusions: The first attack of asthma appears later mainly in patients whose immune systems are more strongly stimulated by allergens. Development of allergic rhinitis in patients aged over 29 years presumably needs weaker stimulation of their immune systems by allergens than in patients aged 0-19 years. Stimulation of an immune system by different types of allergens modifies its response in such a way that seasonal (late spring and summer) factors increase probability of allergic rhinitis symptoms., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Termedia Sp. z o. o.)

Introduction: The patterns of sensitisation to airborne allergens and their association with allergic diseases have been analysed in different geographical regions., Aim: To analyse the impact of sensitisation to airborne allergens on allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma in different age groups of the Polish population., Material and Methods: Completed questionnaires of 18,617 subjects (53.8% females), collected within the ECAP, a cross-sectional multicentre study, were analysed. Three groups of respondents were included: 6-7-year-olds (24.2%), 13-14-year-olds (25.4%), 20-44-year-olds (50.4%). The clinical part (an anamnesis, physical examination, spirometry, skin prick tests and an assay of major airborne allergen-specific IgE) was attended by 25.7% of the respondents., Results: The AR was most strongly related to sensitisation to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus , with the highest odds ratios of 10 in two younger groups and of 16 for persistent AR in children. It was also the most important risk factor for allergic asthma, with odd ratios from 8.34 in children to 6.40 in adolescents. Sensitisation to grass pollen allergens was a major risk factor for both AR, with odds ratios from 9.16 in adults to 7.87 in adolescents, and asthma, with odds ratios from 6.16 in adolescents to 5.67 in adults., Conclusions: AR and asthma shared common risk factors, independently of age. Sensitisation to airborne allergens was significantly associated with asthma and, even more strongly, with AR, across all age groups. The AR was the strongest risk factor for allergic asthma in the youngest group. Persistent AR increased asthma risk more than intermittent AR in all age groups., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Termedia.)

Introduction: Despite the known role of pollen allergens in causing allergy symptoms in sensitized individuals, there are few publications investigating the relationship between pollen exposure in different regions and the prevalence of inhalant allergy., Aim: To assess the association between the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma and the degree of exposure to pollen in various regions of Poland., Material and Methods: Completed questionnaires of 9,443 subjects living in four urban centres (Wroclaw, Katowice, Warsaw, Bialystok), collected within part of the ECAP project, were analyzed. Children aged 6-7 ( n = 2,278), adolescents aged 13-14 ( n = 2,418), and adults aged 20-44 ( n = 4,747) constituted 24.2%, 25.6% and 50.3% of the respondents, respectively. The clinical part (including skin prick tests, an assay of Timothy grass-specific IgE), was attended by 24% of the respondents. Data from 6-year pollen monitoring served to characterize birch and grass pollen seasons., Results: We found insignificant negative associations between the duration of birch pollen season and the prevalence of declared allergic rhinitis and asthma during the season across all age groups. There were insignificant inverse associations between the number of days with above-threshold and high grass pollen concentrations, total grass pollen count and the prevalence of declared allergic rhinitis and asthma during the season across all age groups. Associations noted in the clinical part were also non-significant; however, these trends were not uniform across the age groups., Conclusions: Our findings do not confirm the hypothesis of a positive association between pollen exposure and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2019 Termedia Sp. z o. o.)

Introduction: Specific immunoglobulins E (sIgE) are important parameters to estimate severity of allergic diseases., Aim: To determine the influence of allergy risk factors on the concentration of specific IgE antibodies in serum., Material and Methods: The concentration of sIgE antibodies against allergens Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus , cat dander, timothy grass, Alternaria alternata were determined in serum of 4077 respondents randomly selected from 9 regions (ECAP study). The positive results of sIgE (≥ 0.35 IU/ml) were correlated to answers in questionnaires ECRHSII and ISAAC., Results: sIgE are more frequently detected in respondents declaring an allergic disease of a father than of a mother ( D. pteronyssinus p < 0.05, A. alternata p < 0.01). An early beginning to attend school, kindergarten or nursery increases the frequency of sIgE detection ( p < 0.05). If the number of children who slept in the same room as a respondent before the respondent was five years old, was lower, sIgE antibodies are more frequently detected ( p < 0.05). Relating to: 1) all 4 allergens, sIgE are the most frequently detected in respondents declaring absence of a carpet/rug at home ( p < 0.05), 2) cat dander - less frequently detected in respondents who have a cat at home at the age of 1-4 years ( p < 0.005)., Conclusions: Carpets/rugs capture a portion of mite, epidermal, mould allergens located at home, wherefore absence of a carpet or rug causes greater stimulation of an immune system by these allergens; as a consequence, IgE antibodies are the most frequently detected in respondents. Household contacts of the respondents, at the age of 1-4 years, with cats induced partial immune tolerance to cat dander., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction: Global epidemiological studies have revealed considerable geographical differences in prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD)., Aim: To present the epidemiology of AD, risk factors and co-occurrence of allergic diseases in the Polish population., Material and Methods: The present paper is a part of the Epidemiology of Allergic Disorders in Poland study. We studied 22 703 participants by ECRHS/ISAAC questionnaire; 18 617 (53.8% female, 24.2% 6-7 y.o., 25.4% 13-14 y.o., 50.4% 20-44 y.o.) completed questionnaires were accepted. Four thousand seven hundred and eighty-three participants (25.7%) have undergone a medical examination., Results: Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed in 3.91% (6-7 y.o. 5.34%, 13-14 y.o. 4.3%, adults 3.02%), more often in females (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 0.56-0.77), in the cities (OR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.61-3.09), in mothers (OR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.72-2.48) and fathers (OR = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.61-2.49) with atopy, higher education (OR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.11-2.32) and economic status (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.04-1.74). The highest prevalence was found in Katowice (4.89%) and lowest in rural areas (1.9%). Coexisting AD and allergic rhinitis (AR) was found in 26.17%, AR and asthma in 9.09% and AD, AR and asthma in 14.6%. Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed by allergologists in 6.5% (6-7 y.o. 8.7%, 13-14 y.o. 9.0%, adults 3.6%). Most diagnoses were made in Poznan (16.76%) and smallest in rural area (3.67%). 78.8% of subjects were diagnosed with AD for the first time although they had earlier experienced its symptoms., Conclusions: Atopic dermatitis prevalence in Poland is below the mean rate for Europe, but the risk factor profile is similar to other countries. Atopic dermatitis is more frequent in well-educated females with atopic parents and high socioeconomic status and who live in a city.