TY - JOUR
T1 - Predicting asthma severity from allergic sensitivity to cockroaches in pregnant inner city women
AU - Henderson, Cassandra E.
AU - Ownby, Dennis R.
AU - Trumble, Ann
AU - DerSimonian, Rebecca
AU - Kellner, Leonard H.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To measure and compare cockroach (CR)-specific immunoglobin E (IgE) in sera from pregnant women with mild, moderate and severe asthma. STUDY DESIGN: CR IgE levels were measured in stored sera collected during the Collaborative Perinatal Project. Three matched groups of 93 women were formed: group I (mild), history of asthma but no acute exacerbation; group II (moderate), acute asthma exacerbation; group III (severe), required hospitalization for a diagnosis of status asthmaticus. ANOVA was used to compare the three means. RESULTS: Mean CR IgE paralleled prenatal asthma severity. Mean values were 6.50, 13.12 and 28.99 kU/L for groups I, II and III, respectively (P = .06). High allergen sensitivity, defined as CR IgE > 60 kU/L, was identified in 8 of the 93 study samples. The prevalence of high allergen sensitivity increased as clinical asthma became more severe. Sixty- two percent (5/8) of the high allergen sensitivity occurred in group III. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a positive correlation between sensitivity to CR allergens and asthma severity during pregnancy, and these findings support further evaluation of CR allergen sensitivity as a predictor of asthma severity in pregnancy.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To measure and compare cockroach (CR)-specific immunoglobin E (IgE) in sera from pregnant women with mild, moderate and severe asthma. STUDY DESIGN: CR IgE levels were measured in stored sera collected during the Collaborative Perinatal Project. Three matched groups of 93 women were formed: group I (mild), history of asthma but no acute exacerbation; group II (moderate), acute asthma exacerbation; group III (severe), required hospitalization for a diagnosis of status asthmaticus. ANOVA was used to compare the three means. RESULTS: Mean CR IgE paralleled prenatal asthma severity. Mean values were 6.50, 13.12 and 28.99 kU/L for groups I, II and III, respectively (P = .06). High allergen sensitivity, defined as CR IgE > 60 kU/L, was identified in 8 of the 93 study samples. The prevalence of high allergen sensitivity increased as clinical asthma became more severe. Sixty- two percent (5/8) of the high allergen sensitivity occurred in group III. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a positive correlation between sensitivity to CR allergens and asthma severity during pregnancy, and these findings support further evaluation of CR allergen sensitivity as a predictor of asthma severity in pregnancy.
KW - Asthma
KW - Cockroaches
KW - IgE
KW - Pregnancy complications
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034006134&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034006134&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 10804493
AN - SCOPUS:0034006134
SN - 0024-7758
VL - 45
SP - 341
EP - 344
JO - Journal of Reproductive Medicine for the Obstetrician and Gynecologist
JF - Journal of Reproductive Medicine for the Obstetrician and Gynecologist
IS - 4
ER -