There is a significant rise in the prevalence of allergic diseases, including asthma and food allergies.
Studies indicated that the exposure to indoor allergens (mold, dust mites) may be more relevant to the
development of asthma and atopy.IgE is best known as a mediator of allergic reactions ranging from
allergic rhinitis and asthma to life threatening anaphylactic shock. The aim of this study was to detect
the prevalence of food allergens (milk and egg) and indoor allergens (house dust mites and
Alternaria), and their possible relation to the severity of disease in children with asthma attending
Assiut University Children Hospital. The study included 50 cases with asthma attending Assiut
University Children Hospital, during the period from September 2009 to August 2010. Their ages
ranged from 4-14 years. They consisted of 30 males and 20 females. They were selected and classified
according the GINA classification of asthma 2008. They consisted of 10 cases with mild intermittent
asthma, 10 cases with mild persistent asthma, 15 cases with moderate persistent asthma, 15 cases with
severe persistent asthma, as well as 25 apparently healthy children with matchable age and sex as a
control group. All cases and controls were subjected to full history and thorough clinical examination.
Complete blood count, chest x-ray, pulse oxymetry, tuberculin test, urine & stool analysis and
pulmonary function tests were done for all patients and controls. Specific IgE was performed by
human allergen specific assay semi quantitative kit. The percentage frequency of asthma cases with
significantly high IgE level for the studied antigens were significantly higher than those in the control
group. Cases with significant increase in house dust mite specific IgE level were the commonest (84%)
among our patients with asthma followed by those with significant increase in milk specific IgE level
(78%), followed by those with significant increase in Alternaria specific IgE level (68%) and lastly by
those with significant increase in egg specific IgE level (64%) .The percentage frequency of patients
with significant increase in IgE level for the four studied antigens was significantly higher than those
with significant increase in IgE level for three, two or one of the studied antigens. The distribution of
these patients with significant increase in IgE level for the four studied antigens was significantly
higher in the group of cases classified as having severe persistent and moderate persistent asthma.
Cases with moderate and severe increase in serum IgE level were more common in the moderate and
severe persistent asthma patient groups. It could be concluded that house dust mites allergens
followed by food (milk and Alternaria) allergens, then by egg allergens are common among our
studied patients with asthma and correlate with the severity of asthma. Sensitization to more than one
allergen was more common in our studied patients with asthma. This may suggest the role of patient
susceptibility to immune reaction against various allergens. Laboratory studies of patients with
asthma particularly those with moderate and severe persistent asthma for these allergens is
recommended. Studies on the value of desensitization of these patients for such antigens for possible
better management of their illness is highly recommended.