PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Andre F.S. Amaral AU - Roger B. Newson AU - Josep M. Antó AU - Isa Cerveri AU - Thorarin Gislason AU - Joachim Heinrich AU - Christer Janson AU - Nino Kunzli AU - Benedicte Leynaert AU - Roberto De Marco AU - Nicole Probst-Hensch AU - Cecilie Svanes AU - Kjell Toren AU - Serge A. Versteeg AU - Joost Weyler AU - Jan-Paul Zock AU - Peter Burney AU - Deborah L. Jarvis TI - Change in prevalence of IgE sensitization over 20 years in the European community respiratory health survey cohort AID - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.OA2941 DP - 2015 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - OA2941 VI - 46 IP - suppl 59 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/OA2941.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/OA2941.full SO - Eur Respir J2015 Sep 01; 46 AB - Background: Cross-sectional studies show a lower prevalence of IgE sensitisation in older adults, but few population-based cohort studies have examined whether this is an aging or a cohort effect.Aims and objectives: To assess changes in IgE sensitisation in European adults as they aged over 20 years.Methods: Within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, serum specific IgE to common aeroallergens (house dust mite, cat, grass) was measured in 3206 adults (age at baseline: 22-44 years), from 25 centres, on three occasions over 20 years. Changes in sensitisation were analysed by regression analysis with inverse sampling-probability weights, with Huber variances and participants as clusters. These analyses were corrected for potential differences in laboratory equipment.Results: Overall, the prevalence of sensitisation to at least one of the three measured allergens fell from 29.4% to 24.8% (-4.6%, 95%CI: -7.0% to -2.1%). Sensitisation to house dust mite (-4.3%, 95%CI: -6.0% to -2.6%) and cat (-2.1%, 95%CI: -3.6% to -0.7%) fell significantly, but no significant change was seen for sensitisation to grass (-0.6%, 95%CI: -2.5% to 1.3%). Age-specific prevalence of sensitisation to house dust mite and cat did not differ between birth cohorts, but sensitisation to grass was most prevalent in the most recent birth cohorts.Conclusion: While there was evidence that aging was associated with lower levels of sensitisation to house dust mite and cat, this was not seen for sensitisation to grass.