[Increased plasma levels of immunoglobulin E can be due to pulmonary embolism]

Increased plasma levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) are encountered in various clinical settings, most often infection or atopic/allergic disease. IgE, however, is neither a sensitive, nor a specific marker for any particular disease. We describe a case of a 52-year-old woman presenting with non-specific symptoms and increased plasma IgE levels on admission. Atopy/allergy, infection and malignancy were ruled out, and the only plausible cause remained a pulmonary embolism found incidentally on a computed tomography. The patient's IgE levels rapidly declined after the initiation of anticoagulant therapy.