IgE antibody responses in young children with atopic dermatitis

In 2184 young children aged 13-24 months with atopic dermatitis (SCORAD 5-59) serum IgE antibodies to a standard panel of food and inhalant allergens were assayed. the frequency of positive IgE responses (> 0.35 kU/l) increased with greater severity of skin disease. A significant minority of infants had levels of IgE antibody to foods to suggest they were at risk of acute reaction to those foods (7% to hen's egg, 3% to cow's milk, 4% to peanut). Our findings indicate that the frequency of positive IgE responses is related to disease severity and suggest that differences in the time course of the development of IgE responses to food, which are at maximum prevalence within the first year of life, while inhalant allergies, are still developing between 1 and 2 yr and beyond.Univ London Imperial Coll Sci Technol & Med, Wright Fleming Inst, London, EnglandChildrens Hosp, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1, CanadaSalesi Childrens Hosp, Div Pediat, Ancona, ItalyUniv Heidelberg Hosp, Dept Clin Social Med Occupat & Environm Dermatol, Heidelberg, GermanyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Pediat, Div Allergy Clin Immunol & Rheumatol, São Paulo, BrazilUCB, Braine Lalleud, BelgiumUniv Kinder & Poliklin Klin Padiatrie Schwerpunkt, D-13353 Berlin, GermanyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Pediat, Div Allergy Clin Immunol & Rheumatol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc