Smoking status and immunoglobulin E seropositivity to workplace allergens

Detection of serum-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) can be helpful in the diagnosis of work-related allergic conditions. There have been conflicting reports regarding any association between smoking and specific IgE levels.

To establish whether a relationship exists between smoking status and the outcome of specific IgE tests to workplace allergens.

The Health and Safety Laboratory provides test services for workplace allergens and the request form used collects data on smoking status. Laboratory results of 695 subjects who had undergone specific IgE tests were examined by information on smoking.

Smokers were more likely than non-smokers to have positive specific IgE tests (P < 0.05). Smoking was the only independent predictor of a positive specific IgE test in logistic regression, with odds ratio of 2.39 (95% confidence interval 1.01-5.65, P < 0.05) for IgE seropositivity. Allergen subgroups also showed a positive association with smoking and in particular for high molecular weight allergens.

Being a current smoker is a risk factor for sensitization to workplace allergens especially for those of high molecular weight. Workplace well-being activities may make use of such information for smoking cessation programmes and emphasizing the importance of allergen exposure control. Collaboration between testing laboratories may provide useful datasets for further analysis.