Relationship between Active and Passive Smoking and Total Serum IgE Levels in Japanese Women: Baseline Data from the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study
Y. Miyake^a, S. Miyamoto^b, Y. Ohya^c, S. Sasaki^d, I. Matsunaga^e, T. Yoshida^e, Y. Hirota^b, H. Oda^e, for the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study Group, <sup>1

a</sup>Department of Public Health, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka,
^bDepartment of Public Health, Osaka City University School of Medicine, Osaka,
^cDivision of Allergy, Department of Medical Specialties, National Center for Child Health and Development,
^dProject of Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo,
^eOsaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Osaka, Japan

Address of Corresponding Author

Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2004;135:221-228 (DOI: 10.1159/000081307)

  Key Words

• Cross-sectional survey
• Japanese women
• Passive smoking
• Smoking
• Total IgE

  Abstract

Background: Many studies have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with elevated concentrations of total serum IgE. Few studies, however, have examined total IgE in relation to passive smoking exposure, especially in adults. This cross-sectional study investigated the association of active and passive smoking exposure with levels of total serum IgE in Japan. Methods: Study subjects were 981 pregnant women in Osaka. Total IgE levels were measured using UniCAP 1000 and were defined as elevated if they exceeded 170 ml/UI. Age, gestation, parity, family history of asthma, atopic eczema and allergic rhinitis, indoor domestic pets, family income, education and the mite allergen level in house dust were selected as potential confounding factors. Results: Current smoking of at least 15 cigarettes a day and 8.0 or more pack-years of smoking were independently related to an increased prevalence of elevated total serum IgE (adjusted odds ratios 3.40 and 2.51, 95% confidence intervals 2.12-5.47 and 1.55-4.06, respectively), and both cigarette smoking status and pack-years of smoking were significantly positively associated with total serum IgE levels, especially in subjects with a positive familial allergic history. There was no measurable association of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at home or at work with total serum IgE concentrations among those who had never smoked. Conclusions: Our results corroborate a positive relationship between active smoking and total serum IgE levels; however, this study failed to substantiate a positive association of ETS exposure with total IgE. Investigations with more precise and detailed exposure measurements are warranted.

Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Correspondence to: Dr. Yoshihiro Miyake
Department of Public Health, Fukuoka University School of Medicine
7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0180 (Japan)
Tel. +81 92 801 1011 (ext. 3311), Fax +81 92 863 8892
E-Mail miyake-y@cis.fukuoka-u.ac.jp

  Article Information

Received: April 28, 2004
Accepted after revision: July 20, 2004
Published online: October 4, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 27