Immunoglobulins are the main guards of our health. Why is an Ig E test (immunoglobulin E) prescribed? The study is necessary for the diagnosis of inflammatory processes, all kinds of allergic reactions. An important fact - the analysis shows the results almost instantly after the action of the stimulus. From here it helps to identify allergens, the nature of such serious diseases as bronchial asthma, urticaria and so on. We will tell you more about the fact that it also shows in what cases it can be assigned, what are the norms and reasons for deviations to a greater or lesser extent.
What is it?
Immunoglobulins, as we said, are the guards of our body. Their number is theoretically equal to the number of infections to which the body may be exposed. And what is the role of specifically immunoglobulin E?
This "guard" is responsible for protecting the external integument of tissues in contact with the environment. In particular, for the protection of the skin, mucous membranes of the respiratory system, tonsils, organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, in the blood of a healthy person, immunoglobulin E will be contained in small quantities.
Lg E begins to form in human blood already at the eleventh week of fetal life. If the level of immunoglobulin E in a child is high from birth, this may indicate its high susceptibility to various forms of allergies.
Lg E and allergic reactions
It is important to note that type E is also a specific indicator of the presence of allergic reactions. An allergen that penetrates or somehow comes into contact with the external integument of the skin or mucous membrane enters a “fight” with immunoglobulin E. As a result, it binds to the complex, and the result of the “battle” becomes one of the allergic reactions of the body:
- Rhinitis. It manifests itself as a stuffy nose, runny nose, frequent sneezing, increased sensitivity of the olfactory organ.
- Rash. Some parts of the skin, mucous membranes change their shape, color.
- Bronchitis. This refers to a cough, which is caused precisely by inflammation of the bronchi.
- Asthma. The patient can hear wheezing when breathing, shortness of breath, it is physically difficult for a person to breathe. All this is caused by a decrease in the gaps of the bronchi, most often occurs in a chronic form.
- Anaphylactic shock. The most dangerous lightning reaction to an irritant - can turn into a fatal outcome for a person.
Reasons for Assigning Analysis
Indicators of immunoglobulin E indicate the absence or occurrence of various allergic reactions. However, these data are not enough for a specialist to establish the fact of an allergy. It is important to identify a specific irritant - an allergen.
The reason for the appointment of an analysis for immunoglobulin E will be the following symptoms:
- Itchy skin.
- Rashes on the mucous membrane or skin.
Causes of a change in the norm of type E immunoglobulin in the blood
These symptoms may indicate the development of a number of diseases in the patient. Therefore, for diagnosis, an analysis for immunoglobulin E. is prescribed. In particular, the specialist suspects the following from the applicant:
- Bronchial asthma.
- Quincke's edema. This is an extensive allergic reaction, most often diagnosed in young women.
- Allergic bronchitis.
- Dermatitis.
- Pollinosis is an allergic reaction to pollen of plants, characteristic of a certain time of the year.
- Hay fever (allergic rhinitis).
- Lyell's syndrome is a severe allergic reaction that extensively affects the mucous membranes and skin of a person. It requires immediate resuscitation of medical care, as it is fraught with a high probability of death.
- Infection with parasitic organisms.
- Lymphogranulomatosis is a tumor that affects the lymphatic system. It begins its progression from the lymph nodes, then affecting all the organs of the living system.
How to pass the analysis correctly?
If you are assigned a study of immunoglobulin E, then you need to prepare for it according to the rules characteristic of preparation for any biochemical blood test. In particular, these are the following simple instructions:
- Blood donates only in the morning.
- A blood sample is taken only on an empty stomach - at least 10 hours should pass from the moment of the last meal.
- Before passing the analysis, you should avoid stress - not only physical, but also emotional.
- You are not limited in the amount of water consumed before the procedure.
- Experts advise not to eat fatty foods and alcoholic beverages before analysis.
- The day before the test, do not expose yourself to ultrasound procedures, fluorography, x-ray studies.
Type E immunoglobulin rate for a child
Unlike other types of antibodies, the norm of immunoglobulin E in the blood is almost zero. After all, this "protector" is produced by the body only for immediate protection against infectious lesions, in acute allergic reactions. From here, high indicators will speak primarily about the tendency of an adult or child's body to allergic atopy and reactions.
The norm of immunoglobulin E in the blood is not the same for people of different ages. In adolescence, for example, it increases. And in older people, the amount of these antibodies is already decreasing.
Here is the norm for children (in kE / l):
- 15-18 years old - 20-100.
- 5-15 years - 15-60.
- 2-5 years - 10-50.
- 1 year - 10-20.
- 3-6 months - 3-10.
- Infants up to 2 months old - 0-2.
Type E immunoglobulin rate for an adult
The norm for a healthy adult is 20-100 ke / l.
Note that the norms of immunoglobulin E given by us in a child and an adult can fluctuate depending on the season in which the analysis is scheduled. Its highest concentration in human blood will be observed in the spring. The peak point is May, when forest and urban plants actively bloom. During this period, the rate of total immunoglobulin E in an adult varies from 30-250 kE / L. But the lowest rates are typical for winter, in particular December.
High rates in children
Analysis in children, which is important, is more accurate and sensitive than in adults. What does immunoglobulin E show if its level in a child is too high? The exact answer here can only be given by a treating specialist.
Among the possible reasons are the following:
- Intolerance to the body of certain foods, categories of food.
- The development of hay fever.
- Dermatitis.
- Infection of the body with worms.
- Allergy to a specific medication.
- Allergic dermatitis.
- Bronchial asthma.
Dangerous causes of high rates in children
Immunoglobulin E is elevated. The reasons for this may be more serious:
- Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome. Genetic disease of infants. Its characteristic signs are eczema, secondary infections of the skin, bloody feces, pneumonia, damage to the visual organs, otitis media. An effective treatment is platelet transfusion.
- Di-Georgie's Syndrome. Immunodeficiency in a newborn, which was transmitted to him from biological parents. Its cause is an underdeveloped or even completely absent thymus. Result - the immune system does not cope with its task, does not work as it should. Complications are manifested by tumor processes, developmental delays. The child needs complex therapy.
- Myeloma The so-called cancer of plasma cells.
- Hyper-lgE syndrome. Genetic pathology, which is manifested not only by an increased level of type E immunoglobulin in a child. It is also identified by the following symptoms: frequent sinusitis, rhinitis, scoliosis, pneumonia, many cases of bone fractures in history, abscesses of the mucous membranes and skin, autoimmune diseases (in particular, systemic lupus erythematosus).
Low rates in children
What does immunoglobulin E show if its level is underestimated in a child? The reasons for this are usually the following:
- Hereditary abnormalities.
- The development of tumor processes.
- Louis Barr Syndrome.
Abnormality in adults up
The causes of abnormalities in patients over 18 years of age are almost the same as in children. But there are some peculiarities. So, even a strong allergic reaction of an adult organism will not cause a significant increase in immunoglobulin E in the blood. The reason is that the adult immune system is already less sensitive than the childhood one.
If an adult patient has an increased level of type E immunoglobulin, it means that, in addition to an allergic reaction, he also develops an adverse disease-complication, pathology. For example, bronchial asthma.
The second most common reason for a deviation from the norm to a large extent in an adult is the defeat of the body by parasites, in particular helminths (worms). They irritate the mucous membranes of the internal organs, to which the body immediately responds with increased production of group E immunoglobulins.
The causes of deviations from the norm in adults can be no less dangerous than in children:
- Hyper-lgE syndrome.
- Immunodeficiency.
- Aspergillosis is bronchopulmonary.
- LgE myeloma.
Deviation from the norm in adults down
But lower rates in adults are extremely rare. The reasons for this can be very diverse - only a specialist can determine a specific one. Among the most likely are:
- Allergic rhinitis.
- Immunodeficiency - acquired or congenital.
- LgE myeloma.
- Ataxia (as a result of T-cell damage or telangiectasia).
Decreased lg E levels in the blood
If the patient has an elevated content of immunoglobulin E, then the attending physician prescribes him additional studies that are aimed at identifying the irritant. Most often, tests are carried out with typical groups of allergens - for pollen, household dust and ticks, certain foods, animal hair, fungi, etc. However, such tests are not performed for patients with chronic diseases in the acute stage, suffering from infections, undergoing hormone therapy.
Similar studies are not done with respect to babies up to 6 months, since in infants the immune system is still poorly developed. But for older children and for adults, measures to reduce immunoglobulin E are already the same.
If an irritant is detected, with the help of various drugs, sensitivity to it decreases. In the seasons of exacerbations of allergies, antihistamines and ointments are prescribed. Eliminate the effects with the help of complex treatment.
So, the analysis for immunoglobulin E is a fairly serious study for both small and adult patients. It helps to identify not only the fact of an allergy to a particular irritant, but also to identify serious problems associated with the protective function of the body.