IgE anti-respiratory syncytial virus antibodies detected in serum of pediatric patients with asthma.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes lower respiratory tract disease in infants and young children, and is a public health concern, as is the increase in pediatric asthma. Respiratory viral infections may trigger asthma exacerbations. However, it remains unknown whether RSV infection may have a specific association with asthma. Total serum IgE, and IgE- and IgG-anti-RSV Ab responses were studied in older asthmatic compared with non-asthmatic children (M/F, mean age: 14) (N=30, N=43, respectively). We found: (1) total serum IgE was higher in asthmatic compared with non-asthmatics (P<0.001); (2) total serum IgE did correlate with IgE anti-RSV Abs (P<0.001), and with IgG anti-RSV Abs (P=0.008) in all subjects; (3) total serum IgE levels did correlate with IgE anti-RSV in asthmatics (P=0.047), but not in non-asthmatics (P=0.13); (4) IgE anti-RSV Abs did correlate with IgG anti-RSV Abs in all subjects (P=0.001); (5) IgE- and IgG-anti RSV Abs were higher in asthma compared with no asthma (P=0.003; <0.001, respectively); (6) there was a significant association between age and IgE anti-RSV in non-asthma (P=0.008), but not in asthma (P=0.64). Our findings indicate that IgE-anti-RSV Ab responses may play important roles in RSV infection and asthma.