Abstract
Background:
In this study we investigated the relation between first degree familiar predisposition of asthma and IgE in infants five days postpartum.
Aim/Method:
IgE was determined in blood collected with the heel prick making sure that the results are not disturbed by contamination with maternal IgE. The high risk group consists exclusively of infants with a first degree familiar predisposition of asthma, instead of a mix of asthma, hay fever, atopic eczema and food allergy as in other studies. Total IgE was determined using a modified RAST. A random sample of 301 infants was taken from a prospective birth cohort of 733. Infants in the high risk group (n=193) had at least one family member with asthma. In the control group (n=108) this predisposition was not present.
Results:
We observed a statistically significant difference in total IgE (p=0.025) between the high risk group (75th percentile=0.32) and the control group (75th percentile=0.21) five days postpartum. This difference could not be attributed to sex.
Conclusion:
We assume that familiar predisposition of asthma is associated with IgE five days postpartum.
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Kuiper, S. Association between familiar predisposition of asthma and IgE in infants 5 days post-partum. Prim Care Respir J 11, 63 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/pcrj.2002.46
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pcrj.2002.46