Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is IgE?Normal LevelsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is IgE?
Normal Levels
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
IgE is an antibody that plays a key role in allergic responses. It can sometimes also be elevated for other reasons, such as chronic infections or inflammatory diseases. When your IgE levels are high, additional testing is often needed depending on your symptoms.
High IgE levels aren’t necessarily dangerous, but they do give your healthcare provider important information about your chance of having allergies, an infection, an autoimmune disease, or certain other conditions.
This article discusses IgE and what high levels of this antibody could mean. It also discusses how high IgE is diagnosed and treated.
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What Are the Five Immunoglobulins and What Do They Do?IgAis found in mucosal tissue, such as the respiratory tract and digestive system, and defends against infections.IgDbinds to B cells to initiate an immune response but its role is not well understood. It is found in small amounts in the blood.IgGis the most common type of antibody. It is found in blood and bodily fluids and defends against viruses and bacteria.IgEis part of allergic reactions and defends against parasites. It is found in small amounts in the blood.IgMis the first to fight infections and help trigger the release of other antibodies. It is found in blood and lymph fluid.
What Are the Five Immunoglobulins and What Do They Do?
IgAis found in mucosal tissue, such as the respiratory tract and digestive system, and defends against infections.IgDbinds to B cells to initiate an immune response but its role is not well understood. It is found in small amounts in the blood.IgGis the most common type of antibody. It is found in blood and bodily fluids and defends against viruses and bacteria.IgEis part of allergic reactions and defends against parasites. It is found in small amounts in the blood.IgMis the first to fight infections and help trigger the release of other antibodies. It is found in blood and lymph fluid.
For some people, exposure to allergens—which are harmless, non-infectious substances (like dust or pollen)—can also trigger the body to produce and release IgE.
In these situations, IgE antibodies bind to the allergen and trigger an inflammatory response that can manifest with allergy symptoms such as a skin rash, sneezing, and swollen lips. When it results in asthma, it is considered the allergic type.
Common allergens include:
Normal IgE Levels
A normal IgE range is typically between 0 IU/mL and 100 IU/mL for adults. For children, normal ranges vary based on age.
Symptoms of High IgE
Symptoms that may occur along with high IgE levels depend on the condition. For example, if you have allergies you may have itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, and congestion.
If your high IgE levels are related to a skin condition, you may experience symptoms like red, itchy, flaking skin or recurring skin infections.
If you have allergic asthma, your bronchi (airways) can become narrow and inflamed due to the rush of immune cells, which rapidly exacerbates asthma symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Your airways may also suddenly spasm, making it difficult for air to pass as you try to breathe.
The symptoms are usually mild, but in some cases, they can become severe and may cause serious consequences, such as a life-threatening respiratory crisis.
Asthma Symptoms
Causes of High IgE
Causes of high IgE can range from allergies to infections. Less commonly, a condition such as a blood cancer may cause elevated IgE levels.
Allergic Conditions
There are many types of allergic responses that may lead to high IgE levels. These include:
An elevated IgE level supports the diagnosis of allergic asthma but does not give an indication of what the trigger(s) of your attacks could be.
Infections
Parasitic infections are the most common type of infection associated with high IgE levels, but high levels can also occur along with certain viral, bacterial, or fungal infections.
Infections associated with high IgE include:
Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases
Autoimmunediseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Inflammatory diseases occur when there is an excess immune response that leads to inflammation. These can also be associated with high IgE.
Examples include:
Blood-Related Cancers
High IgE is also associated with certain blood-related cancers. This includesHodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that starts in the lymph nodes, and IgE myeloma, a rare type of cancer that affects a type of white blood cells in bone marrow.
Other Conditions
There are some other conditions and behaviors associated with high IgE:
ImmunodeficiencySome people with high levels of IgE have an immunodeficiency that makes it difficult to fight certain infections. Job Syndrome and DOCK8 Deficiency are two primary immunodeficiencies where IgE levels can be very elevated. Eczema and skin infections are common in these disorders. Lung infections and lung disease are also common. Genetic testing can be done to rule out these conditions
Immunodeficiency
Some people with high levels of IgE have an immunodeficiency that makes it difficult to fight certain infections. Job Syndrome and DOCK8 Deficiency are two primary immunodeficiencies where IgE levels can be very elevated. Eczema and skin infections are common in these disorders. Lung infections and lung disease are also common. Genetic testing can be done to rule out these conditions
Your healthcare provider will assess your symptoms and order additional tests to find the cause. Symptoms that suggest an allergic cause include itchy eyes, nausea, sneezing, coughing, and congestion.
Sometimes the pattern of symptoms can point to allergic asthma when symptoms tend to occur in relation to allergen exposure.Allergy testingcan help identify what may be triggering your condition.
IgE Testing
IgE testing may be done if your healthcare provider suspects a condition such as allergic asthma. Your healthcare provider will consider your results in the context of your symptoms and other diagnostic measures.
If you have high IgE levels, your treatment will vary depending on the condition that’s causing them.
For example, there are a number of treatments for allergic asthma, including avoiding allergens that areasthma triggers, if possible. However, it is not always possible to avoid allergens, especially if they are highly prevalent in the environment. In that case, other treatments may be used:
Other types of allergic reactions may be treated with antihistamines. Severe allergic reactions may need to be treated with epinephrine.
Other conditions have varying treatments. For example, autoimmune conditions like lupus may be treated with immunosuppressant drugs, while lymphoma may be treated with chemotherapy or radiation.
Summary
High IgE levels can be associated with a number of conditions, such as allergies, allergic asthma, infections, and autoimmune conditions.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sanjuan MA, Sagar D, Kolbeck R.Role of IgE in autoimmunity.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;137(6):1651-1661. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2016.04.007Allen CDC.Features of B cell responses relevant to allergic disease.J Immunol. 2022;208(2):257-266. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.2100988KidsHealth.Blood test: Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM).Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergic asthma.Sutton BJ, Davies AM, Bax HJ, Karagiannis SN.IgE antibodies: from structure to function and clinical translation.Antibodies (Basel). 2019;8(1):19. doi:10.3390/antib8010019University of Iowa Diagnostic Laboratories.Immunoglobulin E (IgE), individual quant.Unal D, Gelincik A, Elitok A, et al.Impact of high serum Immunoglobulin E levels on the risk of atherosclerosis in humans.Asia Pac Allergy. 2017;7(2):74-81. doi:10.5415/apallergy.2017.7.2.74Ohta K, Nagase H, Suzukawa M, Ohta S.Antibody therapy for the management of severe asthma with eosinophilic inflammation.Int Immunol. 2017;29(7):337-343. doi:10.1093/intimm/dxx045Saracino MP, Vila CC, Baldi PC, González Maglio DH.Searching for the one(s): using probiotics as anthelmintic treatments.Front Pharmacol. 2021;12:714198. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.714198Hajjar J, Guffey D, Minard CG, Orange JS.Increased incidence of fatigue in patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders: prevalence and associations within the US Immunodeficiency Network Registry.J Clin Immunol. 2017;37(2):153-165. doi:10.1007/s10875-016-0367-1
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sanjuan MA, Sagar D, Kolbeck R.Role of IgE in autoimmunity.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;137(6):1651-1661. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2016.04.007Allen CDC.Features of B cell responses relevant to allergic disease.J Immunol. 2022;208(2):257-266. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.2100988KidsHealth.Blood test: Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM).Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergic asthma.Sutton BJ, Davies AM, Bax HJ, Karagiannis SN.IgE antibodies: from structure to function and clinical translation.Antibodies (Basel). 2019;8(1):19. doi:10.3390/antib8010019University of Iowa Diagnostic Laboratories.Immunoglobulin E (IgE), individual quant.Unal D, Gelincik A, Elitok A, et al.Impact of high serum Immunoglobulin E levels on the risk of atherosclerosis in humans.Asia Pac Allergy. 2017;7(2):74-81. doi:10.5415/apallergy.2017.7.2.74Ohta K, Nagase H, Suzukawa M, Ohta S.Antibody therapy for the management of severe asthma with eosinophilic inflammation.Int Immunol. 2017;29(7):337-343. doi:10.1093/intimm/dxx045Saracino MP, Vila CC, Baldi PC, González Maglio DH.Searching for the one(s): using probiotics as anthelmintic treatments.Front Pharmacol. 2021;12:714198. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.714198Hajjar J, Guffey D, Minard CG, Orange JS.Increased incidence of fatigue in patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders: prevalence and associations within the US Immunodeficiency Network Registry.J Clin Immunol. 2017;37(2):153-165. doi:10.1007/s10875-016-0367-1
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sanjuan MA, Sagar D, Kolbeck R.Role of IgE in autoimmunity.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;137(6):1651-1661. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2016.04.007Allen CDC.Features of B cell responses relevant to allergic disease.J Immunol. 2022;208(2):257-266. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.2100988KidsHealth.Blood test: Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM).Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergic asthma.Sutton BJ, Davies AM, Bax HJ, Karagiannis SN.IgE antibodies: from structure to function and clinical translation.Antibodies (Basel). 2019;8(1):19. doi:10.3390/antib8010019University of Iowa Diagnostic Laboratories.Immunoglobulin E (IgE), individual quant.Unal D, Gelincik A, Elitok A, et al.Impact of high serum Immunoglobulin E levels on the risk of atherosclerosis in humans.Asia Pac Allergy. 2017;7(2):74-81. doi:10.5415/apallergy.2017.7.2.74Ohta K, Nagase H, Suzukawa M, Ohta S.Antibody therapy for the management of severe asthma with eosinophilic inflammation.Int Immunol. 2017;29(7):337-343. doi:10.1093/intimm/dxx045Saracino MP, Vila CC, Baldi PC, González Maglio DH.Searching for the one(s): using probiotics as anthelmintic treatments.Front Pharmacol. 2021;12:714198. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.714198Hajjar J, Guffey D, Minard CG, Orange JS.Increased incidence of fatigue in patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders: prevalence and associations within the US Immunodeficiency Network Registry.J Clin Immunol. 2017;37(2):153-165. doi:10.1007/s10875-016-0367-1
Sanjuan MA, Sagar D, Kolbeck R.Role of IgE in autoimmunity.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;137(6):1651-1661. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2016.04.007
Allen CDC.Features of B cell responses relevant to allergic disease.J Immunol. 2022;208(2):257-266. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.2100988
KidsHealth.Blood test: Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM).
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergic asthma.
Sutton BJ, Davies AM, Bax HJ, Karagiannis SN.IgE antibodies: from structure to function and clinical translation.Antibodies (Basel). 2019;8(1):19. doi:10.3390/antib8010019
University of Iowa Diagnostic Laboratories.Immunoglobulin E (IgE), individual quant.
Unal D, Gelincik A, Elitok A, et al.Impact of high serum Immunoglobulin E levels on the risk of atherosclerosis in humans.Asia Pac Allergy. 2017;7(2):74-81. doi:10.5415/apallergy.2017.7.2.74
Ohta K, Nagase H, Suzukawa M, Ohta S.Antibody therapy for the management of severe asthma with eosinophilic inflammation.Int Immunol. 2017;29(7):337-343. doi:10.1093/intimm/dxx045
Saracino MP, Vila CC, Baldi PC, González Maglio DH.Searching for the one(s): using probiotics as anthelmintic treatments.Front Pharmacol. 2021;12:714198. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.714198
Hajjar J, Guffey D, Minard CG, Orange JS.Increased incidence of fatigue in patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders: prevalence and associations within the US Immunodeficiency Network Registry.J Clin Immunol. 2017;37(2):153-165. doi:10.1007/s10875-016-0367-1
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