Left-handedness: its association with allergic disease

Abstract

It has been postulated that anomalous cerebral dominance is associated with disorders of the immune system and increased incidence of autoimmune diseases has been reported in left-handed individuals. In this study, 313 patients attending an allergy clinic were assessed for left- and right-handedness, using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The results were compared to those in 350 age- and sex-matched control individuals. It was found that significantly more (P less than 0.02) left-handers than right-handers attended the clinic. Among atopic patients in general, patients with IgE-mediated symptoms, patients with urticaria and patients with eczema, there was a highly significant increase in left-handers (P less than 0.005). The results are discussed in terms of dominance.