Analysis of the total serum levels of IgE levels in patients with acute exacerbations chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Currently, no studies have demonstrated the relationship between IgE and AECOPD. Also, the utility of total serum IgE levels as a biomarker to guide AECOPD treatments remains to be determined.In this study, the total serum levels of IgE in patients with acute exacerbation chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) were investigated and correlated with the clinical characteristics. Methods: Our study retrospectively included AECOPD patients that were hospitalized at the Liaocheng People's Hospital from July 2018 to July 2019.we investigated the demographic variables, body mass index, smoking history, lung function, the frequency of acute exacerbation episodes in the past 12 months, the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), medication history and complications. Routine blood tests, C-reactive protein levels and total IgE levels in the serum of patients were determined along with blood gas analysis. The length of hospital stay, mechanical ventilation during hospitalization, ICU admission, glucocorticoid administration, cumulative dose of glucocorticoid administration during hospitalization, duration of glucocorticoid administration, and the average dosage of glucocorticoid were also recorded. Results: A total of 285 patients were included in the study that had a high proportion of males(74.1%). The proportion of patients with increased levels of T-IgE was 49.82%. According to the results of total IgE serum levels (> 60 kU/L as abnormal value), the patients were divided into high (n=142) and low high T-IgE groups (n=143). There was no significant difference in the dosage of glucocorticoid (including the number of patients receiving glucocorticoid, the average dosage of glucocorticoid, cumulative dosage and medication time) between the two groups. Patients in the high T-IgE group had shorter hospital stays and a lower probability of mechanical ventilation compared to the low T-IgE group. After adjustment for confounding factors, T-IgE was negatively correlated with the length of hospital stay. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that low T-IgE was a statistically significant risk factor for mechanical ventilation and ICU admission in COPD patients. Conclusion: Increased levels of t-IgE were found in many AECOPD patients suggesting that an allergic phenotype may be displayed in AECOPD. AECOPD patients with elevated t-IgE had shorter hospital stays and lower risks of mechanical ventilation and ICU admission. Our data show that t-IgE may have value as a biomarker in evaluating the condition of patients and guiding treatment decisions in AECOPD patients.