Association Between Obesity and Serum IgE Measurements in a Community Cohort of Chinese Schoolchildren

RationaleEpidemiological studies suggest increased prevalence of asthma diagnosis and symptoms among obese subjects. However, there is little data on the relationship between obesity and serum IgE levels, which is an important intermediate asthma phenotype. This study investigates the association between serum total and allergen-specific IgE levels and obesity-related biomarkers in Chinese adolescents.MethodsFive hundred and sixty-five secondary schoolchildren were randomly selected among participants of our cross-sectional, population-based study on the epidemiology of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Subjects' anthropometry was recorded on-site, and fasting blood was collected for serum levels of total and allergen-specific IgE, lipids and systemic inflammatory biomarkers.ResultsSeventy (12.4%) and 42 (7.4%) subjects were classified as being overweight and obese respectively, and 47.6% of them were atopic. On linear regression, serum total IgE was associated positively with white cell count in both sexes (male: B = 1.449, p = 0.002; female: B = 0.848, p = 0.050) but inversely with body mass index (B = -0.146, p = 0.001) in females. Adjusted for sex as covariate, logistic regression revealed that atopy was also associated with white cell count (odds ratio 38.3, 95% confidence interval 5.1-289.9; p < 0.001). Elevated serum total IgE concentration was found in less overweight/obese females than those with normal body mass index (odds ratio 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.12-0.79; p = 0.010), but the prevalence of atopy and allergen sensitization were similar.ConclusionsObesity is associated with serum total IgE in overweight/obese Chinese females but not with atopy or allergen sensitization in our population. This gender discrepancy in IgE-mediated mechanisms may influence the relationship between obesity and childhood asthma. RationaleEpidemiological studies suggest increased prevalence of asthma diagnosis and symptoms among obese subjects. However, there is little data on the relationship between obesity and serum IgE levels, which is an important intermediate asthma phenotype. This study investigates the association between serum total and allergen-specific IgE levels and obesity-related biomarkers in Chinese adolescents. Epidemiological studies suggest increased prevalence of asthma diagnosis and symptoms among obese subjects. However, there is little data on the relationship between obesity and serum IgE levels, which is an important intermediate asthma phenotype. This study investigates the association between serum total and allergen-specific IgE levels and obesity-related biomarkers in Chinese adolescents. MethodsFive hundred and sixty-five secondary schoolchildren were randomly selected among participants of our cross-sectional, population-based study on the epidemiology of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Subjects' anthropometry was recorded on-site, and fasting blood was collected for serum levels of total and allergen-specific IgE, lipids and systemic inflammatory biomarkers. Five hundred and sixty-five secondary schoolchildren were randomly selected among participants of our cross-sectional, population-based study on the epidemiology of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Subjects' anthropometry was recorded on-site, and fasting blood was collected for serum levels of total and allergen-specific IgE, lipids and systemic inflammatory biomarkers. ResultsSeventy (12.4%) and 42 (7.4%) subjects were classified as being overweight and obese respectively, and 47.6% of them were atopic. On linear regression, serum total IgE was associated positively with white cell count in both sexes (male: B = 1.449, p = 0.002; female: B = 0.848, p = 0.050) but inversely with body mass index (B = -0.146, p = 0.001) in females. Adjusted for sex as covariate, logistic regression revealed that atopy was also associated with white cell count (odds ratio 38.3, 95% confidence interval 5.1-289.9; p < 0.001). Elevated serum total IgE concentration was found in less overweight/obese females than those with normal body mass index (odds ratio 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.12-0.79; p = 0.010), but the prevalence of atopy and allergen sensitization were similar. Seventy (12.4%) and 42 (7.4%) subjects were classified as being overweight and obese respectively, and 47.6% of them were atopic. On linear regression, serum total IgE was associated positively with white cell count in both sexes (male: B = 1.449, p = 0.002; female: B = 0.848, p = 0.050) but inversely with body mass index (B = -0.146, p = 0.001) in females. Adjusted for sex as covariate, logistic regression revealed that atopy was also associated with white cell count (odds ratio 38.3, 95% confidence interval 5.1-289.9; p < 0.001). Elevated serum total IgE concentration was found in less overweight/obese females than those with normal body mass index (odds ratio 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.12-0.79; p = 0.010), but the prevalence of atopy and allergen sensitization were similar. ConclusionsObesity is associated with serum total IgE in overweight/obese Chinese females but not with atopy or allergen sensitization in our population. This gender discrepancy in IgE-mediated mechanisms may influence the relationship between obesity and childhood asthma. Obesity is associated with serum total IgE in overweight/obese Chinese females but not with atopy or allergen sensitization in our population. This gender discrepancy in IgE-mediated mechanisms may influence the relationship between obesity and childhood asthma.