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Summary
Most asthmatic children retain allergies to pollen and animal danders for 8 years. High serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels persisted, even with normal IgE in some children showing positive allergy tests.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Clinical Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Childhood asthma is a chronic condition often linked to allergic sensitization.
- Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding allergy persistence in pediatric asthma.
- Allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and skin prick tests are key diagnostic tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the long-term progression of allergies in asthmatic schoolchildren.
- To identify the predominant allergens and their persistence over an 8-year period.
- To correlate serum IgE levels with clinical allergy status and diagnostic test results.
Main Methods:
- Prospective follow-up of 55 asthmatic schoolchildren for 8 years.
- Assessment of allergy status using clinical data, skin prick tests, and RAST (radioallergosorbent test).
- Measurement of serum IgE levels at various time points.
Main Results:
- A significant majority of children maintained allergies to pollen and animal danders throughout the study.
- Allergies to mites and molds were less prevalent compared to pollen and dander allergies.
- Elevated serum IgE levels demonstrated a persistent trend in the cohort.
- Positive skin prick tests and RAST results were observed in children with normal serum IgE levels.
Conclusions:
- Allergies, particularly to pollen and animal danders, are persistent in most asthmatic children.
- Serum IgE levels tend to remain high in this population, but normal IgE does not exclude allergic sensitization.
- These findings highlight the chronic nature of allergic sensitization in childhood asthma and the importance of comprehensive diagnostic approaches.