No abstract

BACKGROUND:The increasing prevalence of allergic diseases and atopy is affected by sex, age and lifestyle factors. Obesity and excess weight are reported to be potential risk factors for atopy and specifically for asthma symptoms in children and adults.OBJECTIVE:To assess the relation between body mass index (BMI) and allergic diseases in patients of both genders, as well as association of BMI with atopy in healthy subjects.METHODS:BMI (kg/m2), skin-prick test and total serum immunoglobulin E levels were assessed in 139 subjects: 109 were patients with allergic diseases (M to F ratio was 51:58) and 30 were healthy controls (M to F ratio was 6:24).RESULTS:The study population was grouped into asthma, asthmarhinitis, rhinitis, Urticaria oreczema and controls by BMI and sex. Females with the highest BMI were in asthma and urticaria/eczema group. Males with the highest BMI were in asthmarhinitis and urticariaeczema group. High BMI was associated with atopy in both genders of healthy controls. High levels of total IgE were in male allergic patients.CONCLUSION:High BMI was associated with asthma in females, urticaria/eczema in both genders and atopy in both genders of healthy controls. Higher levels of total IgE were concluded in male patients.

BACKGROUND:The dramatic increase in the prevalence of high body mass index (BMI) increases the prevalence of allergic diseases, both in adults and children and obesity is associated with hypogonadism in adult males.AIM:We aimed to evaluate the effect of high body mass index on plasma concentrations of testosterone and estradiol in young pubertal and adult males with allergic diseases.MATERIAL AND METHODS:Morning fasting blood samples were obtained form 51 allergic patients and 6 healthy volunteer males between the ages 11-57 years (Mean 26.9, DS ± 11.9 years). Total testosterone, estradiol, FSH and LH concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. All participants were subjected to skin prick tests with test kit G aeroallergens, and BMI was calculated according to the body weight divided by the square of height (kg/m2).RESULTS:Low levels of testosterone and high levels of estradiol were associated with high BMI only in patients with asthma/rhinitis, but not in asthma patients. Allergic dermatitis/urticaria group along with healthy controls were overweight but within normal ranges for total testosterone and estradiol concentrations. Patients with allergic rhinitis were within normal ranges for BMI, total testosterone and estradiol concentrations.CONCLUSION:High BMI is not always associated with low levels of testosterone and high levels of estradiol in our patients with allergic diseases, but low levels of testosterone are present in patients with asthma and asthma/rhinitis although not among patients with rhinitis only. Our results should be confirmed in a larger group of participants.

Background. Studies in several ethnic groups reported high incidence of elevated levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATD), especially in patients with Graves' disease. Objective. To study association between serum levels of IgE and thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TRAb) in Albanian patients with ATD. Material and Methods. Study was performed in 40 patients with Graves' disease, 15 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and 14 subjects in the control group. The IgE levels were measured by immunoradiometric assay, whereas the TRAb levels were measured by radioreceptor assay. Results. In all groups of subjects the IgE levels were within reference values (<200 kIU/L). Significant difference in mean concentration of IgE was found between two groups of Graves' disease patients, and those with normal and elevated TRAb levels (22.57 versus 45.03, P < 0.05). Positive correlation was found between TRAb and IgE only in Graves' disease patients (r = 0.43, P = 0.006). Conclusion. In Albanian patients with ATD there is no elevation of IgE levels. This could be the result of low prevalence of allergic diseases in Albanian population determined by genetic and environmental factors.

BackgroundThe integration of the immune and endocrine systems through a network of signaling molecules—including cytokines and hormones—produces a consequent modulatory effect on immune function. In this study we aimed to comparatively evaluate the serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA‐S) and cortisol in patients with allergic rhinitis and healthy control subjects.MethodsMorning fasting blood samples were obtained from 96 participants, including 66 patients with allergic rhinitis (mean age, 28 ± 10.7 years; range, 11‐59 years) and 30 healthy control subjects (mean age, 32.4 ± 11.1 years; range, 14‐57 years). Total immunoglobulin E (IgE), DHEA‐S, and cortisol concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay.ResultsFemale patients with allergic rhinitis exhibited lower DHEA‐S levels than male patients and control subjects (p < 0.001). Although no intergroup differences were observed in the morning:evening cortisol ratio, the DHEA‐S:cortisol ratio was the highest among female patients with allergic rhinitis (1:11). Total IgE levels were significantly higher among patients of both sexes (p < 0.05) than among the control subjects. There was a positive correlation between body mass index and age among all groups of participants (male and female patients: r = 0.6 and 0.7, respectively; male and female controls: r = 0.6 and 0.4, respectively) and a negative correlation between DHEA‐S level and age among females (patients and controls: r = −0.4 and −0.5, respectively) and healthy male subjects (r = −0.7).ConclusionIn this study, female patients with allergic rhinitis exhibited significantly lower DHEA‐S levels than their healthy counterparts and male patients. These results should be confirmed in a larger group of participants.