Serum IgE Level among Coir Workers with Asthma: A Hospital Based Descriptive Study from Alappuzha, Kerala

Coir industry provides a major share of occupation to the natives of Alappuzha district of Kerala State, South India. A significant proportion of workers in this industry have been found to have nasobronchial symptoms. A pilot study conducted in our institute, among coir workers revealed that more than 35% of coir workers suffered from nasobronchial allergy and it is directly proportional the years spent in the work field. This study was conducted to find out whether coir worker's asthma is immunologically mediated or not and also to find out the difference if any in the Ig E level between males and females with coir workers asthma.

The study was done as a descriptive study. Coir workers with symptoms suggestive of asthma who attended the outpatient clinic of Government TD Medical College Hospital Alappuzha during 2005-2006 were included in the study. Detailed occupational history was taken using a semi structured interview schedule. Symptom profile of the patients were assessed in detail followed by clinical examination and spirometry. The serum Ig E level was estimated by ELISA technique. Data were entered in MS Excel and statistical analysis was performed with Mann-Whitney U test using SPSS version 16. P value < 0.05 was taken as the cut off point for statistical significance.

The total number of patients included in the study was 62 out of which 25 were males and 37 were females. (Mean age: 36 years, Males: 33 years and Females: 38 years). All except one patient showed latent period before developing asthmatic symptoms and it varied from 6 months to 44 years, with a mean of 9.9 years. The latency period was considerably more in males.56 patients (91%) had elevated total serum IgE (mean of 1311 IU). Male patients had a considerably higher value of serum Ig E.

The serum IgE levels were found to be higher in coir workers with asthmatic symptoms and hence it is reasonable to believe that coir workers asthma is of largely immunological in origin.