Sensitization to aeroallergens is dominant in overweight to obese asthmatic males but not in females

Background: Obesity-related asthma is associated with increased severity and female dominance. Increased aeroallergen sensitization is common in asthma. There remains uncertainty as to what extent aeroallergen sensitization is related to obesity and modified by gender in asthma patients. We examined the frequency of sensitization to aeroallergens by obesity and gender amongst asthmatics. Methods: Within the West Sweden Asthma Study, of 2006 subjects that underwent extensive clinical examinations, 878 were with active asthma. Sensitization to aeroallergens, animal pollen and mite, was defined as a positive IgE level ≥ 0,35 kUA/L. Results: Most of the 878 asthmatics were women (60%). Most were either normal (BMI Conclusions: The prevalence of sensitization to aeroallergens is similar between men and women when patients are lean. Among overweight and obese patients, sensitization prevalence is lower among women while remaining higher within men.