Vitamin D and Immunoglobulin E Status in Allergic Rhinitis Patients Compared to Healthy People

Abstract

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a type of inflammatory condition that includes a group of symptoms, mainly affecting the nasal mucosa. Nasal obstruction, sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, in addition to swollen, itchy, red and watery eyes are the most common symptoms of the disease. These symptoms are triggered as a result of increased inflammatory mediators such as histamine and leukotrienes. Studies have recently shown the role of vitamin D (vit.D) in many allergic and immune conditions, where receptors for the active form of vit.D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) have been discovered on the surface of almost all types of inflammatory cells. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the level of vit. D in AR patients and its correlation with the severity of the disease. Two groups participated in the study; the first group included 49 patients who were diagnosed in a private otolaryngology clinic by the first author as having allergic rhinitis (AR group). The second one served as a control group and included 50 apparently healthy volunteers with no history of AR. The mean level of IgE and vit. D was found to be 326.3 and 10.2 ng/ml in the AR group, respectively, and 30.8 and 23.3 ng/ml in the control group, respectively. Ninety-three percent of AR patients have shown a deficiency in vit. D level, where 56% of this group showed severe deficiency. On the other hand, 34% of the control group has shown an insufficient level of vit. D. Additionally, 64% of AR patients have shown serum levels of IgE at values ranging between 100-299 ng/ml. Higher serum levels of IgE at values ranging between 300-599 ng/ml and 600-1000 ng/ml were observed in 25% and 11% of AR patients, respectively. The prevalence of low levels of vit. D in the AR group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001). Vit. D deficiency is significantly related to severe AR symptoms and measuring serum vit. D level is recommended in the management plan of this group of patients.

Keywords: Allergic rhinitis; IgE and allergic rhinitis; vitamin D; vitamin D and IgE; vitamin D and allergic rhinitis.

Figure 1:

Serum vitamin D level in the studied groups. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. ***P < 0.001 represents a difference of statistical significance between AR and control group. Student’s paired t-test was used for statistical comparison.

Figure 2:

Serum IgE level in the studied groups. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. ***P < 0.001 represents a difference of statistical significance between AR and control group. Student’s paired t-test was used for statistical comparison.

Figure 3:

Serum IgE level versus serum vitamin D level in the control group. (r): Pearson correlation coefficient between the two investigated variables. Statistically non-significant correlation is shown at P > 0.05. IgE-C and Vit.D-C: Serum level of IgE and vit. D in the control group.

Figure 4:

Serum IgE level versus serum vitamin D level in AR group. (r): Pearson correlation coefficient between the two investigated variables. Statistically significant negative correlation is shown at *P < 0.05. IgE-AR and Vit.D-AR: Serum level of IgE and vit. D in the AR group.

Figure 5:

Serum IgE level versus serum vitamin D level in patients with moderate-severe persistent AR. (r): Pearson correlation coefficient between the two investigated variables. Statistically significant negative correlation is shown at **P < 0.01. IgE-AR and Vit.D-AR: Serum level of IgE and vit. D in the AR group.