Serum total immunoglobulin E levels in Canadian adults.

A history of respiratory and allergic disorders was obtained in a white, rural population with ages 20 to 65 yr. Allergy skin testing was performed, and total IgE was measured by PRIST method. One thousand eight hundred and fourteen subjects were studied. Those subjects with positive allergic skin reactions and a history of allergic disorders and smoking were excluded to provide a reference group to derive "normal" values of total IgE. The mean level of the total IgE of this reference group was 12.1 U/ml. The upper limit of the normal range of total IgE levels was estimated at 87.3 U/ml. IgE levels did not differ between the sexes or with age in our adult population.