Serum IgE Levels in Patients with Bullous Pemphigoid and Its Correlation with the Activity of the Disease

  Objective  To investigate serum total IgE level in bullous pemphigoid (BP) patients and its correlation with the activity of disease.

  Methods  A total of 59 BP patients admitted to our department were enrolled in the study. Their clinical data were analyzed. The change of serum total IgE level before and after treatment was observed. The correlations between the total IgE level and the maximum dose of steroid during hospital stay, the number of eosinophils, and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) titer were analyzed.

  Results  Of these 59 patients, 53 (89.83%) had elevated serum IgE level. After the disease was controlled, IgE decreased but did not return to normal level. High IgE level lasted for several months or years. The serum IgE level in these BP patients was not correlated with the maximum dose of steroid, number of eosinophils, or IIF titer (all P > 0.05).

  Conclusions  Serum IgE remarkably increases in BP patients, and can not return to the normal thresholds even after the disease is controlled. However, it has no correlation with the severity of BP.