Total IgE plasma levels vary according to gender and age in Brazilian patients with allergic rhinitis

OBJECTIVE: Allergic rhinitis is a disease that affects the upper airways and causes inflammation of the nasal mucosa and it is mediated by IgE antibodies produced after sensitization to environmental allergens. Previous reports have indicated that this disease affects males more often than females. The objective of this study was to verify whether total IgE plasma levels vary between genders in patients suffering from allergic rhinitis. METHODS: A total of 171 adult patients suffering from allergic rhinitis (55 males and 116 females) were enrolled. Total IgE plasma levels were determined using commercial kits, with 140 IU/mL considered as a reference value. The mean total IgE plasma levels were compared according to gender and age. RESULTS: The mean age of the overall patient group with allergic rhinitis was 38.4±19.0 years and a significant difference in age was observed between genders (males: 32.2±17.8 years; females: 41.4±18.9 years; p = 0.0027). Additionally, the mean total IgE plasma levels were higher in males (413.0±143.0 IU/mL) than in females (147.9±98.0 IU/mL) (p<0.0001). These differences persisted even when males and females were stratified by age (up to or older than 20 years of age). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, total IgE plasma levels are higher in young adult males than in females suffering from allergic rhinitis. Evaluating total IgE plasma levels can be useful to identify patients at risk of allergic rhinitis in areas with low industrial pollution. .

Evidence of an association between the O blood group and allergic rhinitis

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify if ABO phenotypes are associated with allergic rhinitis. METHODS: 168 patients with allergic rhinitis and 168 control individuals from the same geographical region and paired by gender and age were enrolled in the study. ABO phenotypes were identified in red blood cells using the hemagglutination technique. The Fisher exact and chi-squared tests were employed to compare proportions. Statistical significance was set for an alpha error of 5 percent (p-value < 0.05). RESULTS: The overall differences in the frequencies of the ABO phenotypes of patients and controls were marginal (χ2: 7.569; degrees of freedom (DF): 3; p-value = 0.055) however the O blood group was associated with allergic rhinitis (χ2: 5.764; DF: 1; p-value = 0.016; OR: 1.735; CI 95 percent: 1.127-2.673). The differences in the frequencies of the O phenotype in patients and controls were statistically different for men (χ2: 8.520; DF: 1; p-value = 0.003) but not for women (χ2: 0.6375; DF: 1; p-value = 0.4246). The A phenotype was associated with protection (OR: 0.4385; CI 95 percent: 0.2043-0.9415; p-value = 0.049) and the O phenotype was associated with susceptibility (OR = 2.789; CI 95 percent: 1.385-5.616; p-value = 0.005) to allergic rhinitis only for men. CONCLUSION: The O blood group phenotype is associated with allergic rhinitis in male but not in female patients.