Total Serum Immunoglobulin E is Higher in African than European American
Children with Food Allergy
Abstract
Background: The effect of race, age, sex, atopy,
environmental exposures, and social determinants of health on total
serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) has not been examined in children with food
allergy. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis
with univariable and multivariable linear mixed effect models of data
from 398 African American and European American children 0-12 years with
allergist-diagnosed food allergy from the multi-center, observational
cohort FORWARD; total serum IgE in kU/L was the primary outcome measure.
Results: Total serum IgE positively associated with
African American race ( p < .0001), older age (
p < .0001), male sex ( p =. 0142), lower
household income ( p = .0051), lower parent/caregiver education (
p = .0051), allergic rhinitis ( p < .0001),
asthma ( p < .0001), eczema ( p = .0240), and a
higher number of food allergies ( p < .0001), but not
tobacco smoke exposure. After covariate adjustment in multivariable
analysis, total serum IgE remained higher in African American than
European American ( p < .0001), older than younger (
p < .0001), and male than female children and in
children with allergic rhinitis ( p = .0083), asthma ( p
< .0001), eczema ( p = .0140), and a higher number of
food allergies ( p < .0001).
Conclusions: We provide foundational data that total
serum IgE varies by race in children with food allergy; values were
higher in African American than European American children, independent
of atopic status. These findings call attention to the need to establish
race-dependent values of total serum IgE for diagnostic and therapeutic
purposes.