| For the quantitative determination of Immunoglobulin E (IgE)
concentration in human serum.
Patients with atopic allergic diseases such as atopic asthma, atopic
dermatitis, and hay fever have been shown to exhibit increased total
immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in blood. IgE is also known as the
reagenic antibody. In general, elevated levels of IgE indicate an
increased probability of an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity,
responsible for allergic reactions. Parasitic infestations such as
hookworm, and certain clinical disorders including aspergillosis,
have also been demonstrated to cause high levels of IgE.
Decreased levels of IgE are found in cases of
hypogammaglobulinemia, autoimmune diseases, ulcerative colitis,
hepatitis,cancer, and malaria. Cord blood or serum IgE levels may
have prognostic value in assessing the risk of future allergic
conditions in children.
The IgE serum concentration in a patient is dependent on both the
extent of the allergic reaction and the number of different allergens
to which he is sensitized. Nonallergic normal individuals have IgE
concentrations that vary widely and increase steadily during
childhood, reaching their highest levels at age 15 to 20, and
thereafter remaining constant until about age 60 when they slowly decline. |