Asthma and serum IgE levels in children in a desert country.

The frequency of asthma admissions to the paediatric outpatient clinic in a teaching hospital in Kuwait was found to increase from 8.8 to 14.9% of all admissions during a 3-year period. Seasonal variation of admissions was consistent, with peak incidences during the cold and humid months. The incidence of asthma was remarkably well correlated to low temperature and high frequency of upper respiratory infections but not to pollen seasons or occurrence of dust storms. In agreement with the clinical impression that atopic allergy is frequent in Kuwait, high levels of IgE were found in different groups of individuals. In umbilical cord serum, elevated IgE levels in blood donors and in children with asthma or other diseases were clearly higher than those found in corresponding groups in Western countries. Possible factors contributing to the generally increased IgE levels may be endemic diseases, like viral hepatitis and brucellosis.