Cent Eur J Public Health 2009, 17(2):79-85 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3521

Vitamin E Intake in Relation to Allergic Sensitization and IgE Serum Concentration

Stefanie Sausenthaler1, Tobias Loebel1,2, Jakob Linseisen2,3, Gabriele Nagel3,4, Helgo Magnussen5, Joachim Heinrich1
1 Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
2 Unit of Human Nutrition and Cancer Prevention, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
3 Division of Clinical Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
4 Institute of Epidemiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
5 Pulmonary Research Institute at Grosshansdorf Hospital, Center for Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery, Grosshansdorf, Germany

Background: A protective role of dietary vitamin E intake on disorders related to the immune system, such as allergic diseases, has been suggested. However, results from epidemiological studies are conflicting.

Objectives: The aim of present study was to analyze whether dietary vitamin E intake is related to the prevalence of allergic sensitization and total serum IgE concentrations in adult subjects.

Methods: The present study population consisted of 366 adults aged 29 to 54 years participating in the German centers of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) II, Erfurt and Hamburg. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to gather information on dietary vitamin E intake. Total serum IgE concentrations and specific IgE to common allergens were analyzed by using the Pharmacia CAP System. Allergic sensitization was defined as specific serum IgE concentration ≥0.35 kU/l.

Results: The risk for allergic sensitization was substantially decreased in the middle quartiles (aOR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.22-0.81) and the highest quartile (aOR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.08-0.60) of total dietary vitamin E intake, after adjustment for potential confounders. Total serum IgE concentration was not statistically significantly associated with dietary vitamin E intake.

Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that dietary vitamin E intake might play a protective role in the development of allergic sensitization.

Keywords: adults, allergic sensitization, α-tocopherol, dietary vitamin E, ECRHS II, immunoglobulin E

Revised: February 18, 2009; Accepted: February 18, 2009; Published: June 1, 2009  Show citation

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Sausenthaler S, Loebel T, Linseisen J, Nagel G, Magnussen H, Heinrich J. Vitamin E Intake in Relation to Allergic Sensitization and IgE Serum Concentration. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2009;17(2):79-85. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3521. PubMed PMID: 19662825.
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