The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 119, Issue 1 , Pages 81-88, January 2007

Predictors of cord blood IgE levels in children at risk for asthma and atopy

  • Christina V. Scirica, MD

      Affiliations

    • From Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
    • ,
  • Diane R. Gold, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • From Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
    • ,
  • Louise Ryan, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Statistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston
    • ,
  • Hassen Abulkerim, MS

      Affiliations

    • From Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
    • ,
  • Juan C. Celedón, MD, DrPH

      Affiliations

    • From Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
    • ,
  • Thomas A.E. Platts-Mills, MD

      Affiliations

    • University of Virginia Asthma and Allergic Disease Center, Charlottesville
    • ,
  • Lisa M. Naccara, BA

      Affiliations

    • University of Virginia Asthma and Allergic Disease Center, Charlottesville
    • ,
  • Scott T. Weiss, MD, MS

      Affiliations

    • From Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
    • ,
  • Augusto A. Litonjua, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • From Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Augusto A. Litonjua, MD, MPH, Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.

Received 15 March 2006; received in revised form 29 August 2006; accepted 1 September 2006. published online 24 October 2006.

Boston, Mass, and Charlottesville, Va

Background

Increased cord blood IgE levels, in conjunction with a family history of atopy, are associated with the development of allergic diseases in children. However, little is known about predictors of cord blood IgE levels.

Objective

Our objective was to identify predictors of cord blood IgE levels among infants at increased risk of atopy.

Methods

Cord blood IgE levels were measured in 874 infants who were screened for participation in a birth cohort. Questionnaires were administered after birth of the infant, and maternal and cord blood was obtained for measurement of IgE levels. Logistic and tobit regression models were used to study the association between perinatal factors and cord blood IgE levels.

Results

In multivariable models infant male sex, increased maternal total IgE level, maternal allergen sensitization, Hispanic ethnicity, and residence in low-income areas were associated with detectable or increased cord blood IgE levels, whereas increasing maternal age was associated with undetectable or lower cord blood IgE levels. Although maternal smoking during pregnancy was positively associated with cord blood IgE levels in univariable models, the effect did not persist after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusion

Maternal allergen sensitization, markers of socioeconomic disadvantage and race/ethnicity, maternal age, and infant sex might influence fetal production of IgE. We found no association of maternal parity, mode of delivery, gestational age, or season of birth with cord blood IgE levels.

Clinical implications

The identification of these definable familial and environmental factors that predict cord blood IgE levels might help in the early detection of infants at risk for atopic disorders.

Key words: IgE, cord blood, atopy, socioeconomic status, Hispanic ethnicity

Abbreviations used: $50K, $50,000, LRT, Likelihood ratio test

 

 Supported by R01 AI35786-12, R01 AI20565, and 5 T32 HL07427-23.Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: T. A. E. Platts-Mills has received grant support from Pharmacia, Inc. S. T. Weiss has consulting arrangements with Glaxo-Wellcome, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Genentech, Schering-Plough, Variagenics, Genome Therapeutics, and Merck Frost and has received grant support from Glaxo-Wellcome, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer. The rest of the authors have declared that they have no conflict of interest.

PII: S0091-6749(06)01831-8

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2006.09.002

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 119, Issue 1 , Pages 81-88, January 2007

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