A pilot study to assess residential endotoxin and blood IgE in a group of pregnant women from Trujillo, Peru

ObjectiveThis November 2003 pilot study investigates the correlation between serum IgE and residential endotoxin levels from a group of 18 pregnant women living in Trujillo, Peru, and investigates the impact of the demographic and lifestyle factors of this group on the IgE and endotoxin levels measured.MethodsSerum samples were collected from 19 subjects and analyzed for IgE. Dust samples were collected from the mattresses of 18 subjects and measured for endotoxin levels. A questionnaire was used to obtain demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle information for each subject.ResultsGeometric means for IgE and endotoxin were 246.8 (GSD = 4.3, n = 19) IU/mL and 66.5 EU/mg (GSD = 1.7, n = 18), respectively. Log-transformed IgE and endotoxin were not correlated (R2 = 0.02; p = 0.60).ConclusionsResidential endotoxin and serum IgE were not correlated in this group. Potential selection bias and sample size are major limitations of the study. However, 74% (14/19) of the subjects in this study had an IgE over 100 IU/mL, a level generally considered elevated.