Table I.
Distribution of total serum IgE, atopy, and recent allergy symptoms by population characteristics, NHANES 2005–2006, children age 2–19.
| Subject Characteristics | N | % in category | Geometric mean total IgE (SE) | p-value* | Percent SE) atopic† | OR (95% CI) | Percent SE) with allergy symptoms | OR (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4111 | 50.4 (2.5) | 46.4 (0.9) | 18.7 (1.4) | ||||
| Age | ||||||||
| 2–5 | 918 | 21.0 | 35.2 (3.9) | <0.0001 | 37.5 (2.1) | 1.00 | 14.8 (2.1) | 1.00 |
| 6–10 | 904 | 28.4 | 52.9 (3.7) | 46.3 (2.5) | 1.44 (1.02–2.02) | 20.8 (2.3) | 1.51 (1.01–2.23) | |
| 11–14 | 929 | 21.6 | 50.6 (4.0) | 45.2 (2.1) | 1.38 (1.07–1.77) | 17.4 (1.9) | 1.21 (0.81–1.81) | |
| 15–19 | 1360 | 29.0 | 59.2 (6.3) | 52.1 (2.4) | 1.82 (1.32–2.49) | 20.6 (2.2) | 1.49 (1.09–2.04) | |
| Sex | ||||||||
| Male | 2031 | 51.0 | 60.8 (3.7) | 0.0002 | 49.4 (1.7) | 1.29 (1.09–1.52) | 19.1 (1.9) | 1.05 (0.82–1.35) |
| Female | 2080 | 49.0 | 41.4 (2.7) | 43.2 (1.1) | 1.00 | 18.4 (1.6) | 1.00 | |
| Race-ethnicity | ||||||||
| Non-Hispanic white | 1074 | 59.6 | 41.4 (3.0) | <0.0001 | 42.2 (1.5) | 1.00 | 21.8 (2.4) | 1.00 |
| Non-Hispanic black | 1291 | 14.9 | 83.9 (5.9) | 62.2 (1.8) | 2.26 (1.82–2.79) | 17.5 (1.7) | 0.76 (0.50–1.16) | |
| Mexican American | 1371 | 13.3 | 55.6 (3.2) | 47.4 (1.7) | 1.23 (1.01–1.51) | 10.7 (0.9) | 0.43 (0.30–0.63) | |
| Other | 375 | 12.2 | 66.6 (8.7) | 47.6 (3.7) | 1.24 (0.90–1.72) | 14.0 (2.4) | 0.58 (0.34–0.98) | |
| Education (family referent) | ||||||||
| < 12th grade | 1280 | 18.9 | 62.6 (4.9) | 0.02 | 46.7 (2.2) | 0.99 (0.84–1.17) | 9.3 (1.4) | 0.38 (0.23–0.62) |
| 12th grade/GED | 930 | 24.7 | 45.4 (4.6) | 46.2 (1.6) | 0.97 (0.77–1.22) | 19.5 (1.8) | 0.88 (0.63–1.24) | |
| > 12th grade | 1722 | 52.9 | 49.0 (3.4) | 46.9 (1.7) | 1.00 | 21.5 (2.2) | 1.00 | |
| Poverty Income Ratio (quartiles) | ||||||||
| 1st | 1474 | 24.2 | 62.9 (3.1) | 0.003 | 49.0 (1.8) | 1.11 (0.88–1.39) | 13.7 (1.2) | 0.52 (0.39–0.69) |
| 2nd | 1064 | 24.2 | 51.3 (6.0) | 44.9 (2.2) | 0.94 (0.68–1.29) | 19.1 (2.2) | 0.77 (0.53–1.12) | |
| 3rd | 755 | 24.2 | 45.4 (3.2) | 45.5 (2.1) | 0.96 (0.78–1.19) | 18.5 (2.5) | 0.74 (0.52–1.07) | |
| 4th | 617 | 24.1 | 43.5 (3.2) | 46.5 (2.6) | 1.00 | 23.4 (3.0) | 1.00 | |
| Missing/unknown | 201 | 3.3 | 54.0 (9.5) | 43.2 (6.0) | 19.8 (3.4) | |||
| Any smokers in household | ||||||||
| Yes | 667 | 16.3 | 53.5 (5.6) | 0.61 | 44.3 (3.1) | 0.90 (0.64–1.25) | 20.4 (1.7) | 1.13 (0.91–1.40) |
| No | 3398 | 83.7 | 49.9 (3.0) | 47.0 (1.4) | 1.00 | 18.5 (1.5) | 1.00 | |
| Mother smoked during pregnancy‡ | ||||||||
| Yes | 436 | 18.0 | 50.1 (2.6) | 0.74 | 39.2 (2.7) | 0.75 (0.59–0.96) | 21.1 (1.9) | 1.27 (1.00–1.62) |
| No | 2555 | 82.0 | 47.9 (2.6) | 46.1 (1.1) | 1.00 | 17.3 (1.6) | 1.00 | |
| Birthweight‡ | ||||||||
| <2500 g | 278 | 8.0 | 49.0 (6.3) | 0.87 | 41.4 (3.9) | 0.86 (0.60–1.24) | 12.9 (2.6) | 0.65 (0.37–1.13) |
| ≥2500 g | 2692 | 92.0 | 48.0 (2.5) | 45.2 (1.2) | 1.00 | 18.6 (1.7) | 1.00 | |
| Physical Activity | ||||||||
| 0–3 times/wk | 1454 | 32.9 | 48.2 (4.4) | 0.33 | 45.9 (1.7) | 0.85 (0.65–1.10) | 19.5 (1.7) | 1.08 (0.83–1.40) |
| 4–6 times/wk | 730 | 19.0 | 49.8 (5.1) | 48.2 (2.4) | 0.93 (0.71–1.21) | 19.7 (2.0) | 1.09 (0.89–1.34) | |
| 7 times/wk | 1100 | 17.9 | 49.7 (4.9) | 43.6 (2.1) | 0.77 (0.61–0.97) | 17.9 (2.4) | 0.98 (0.66–1.43) | |
| 8+ times/wk | 752 | 18.3 | 57.1 (5.8) | 50.1 (2.4) | 1.00 | 18.3 (2.1) | 1.00 | |
| Average hours of TV/videos | ||||||||
| 0 hours/day | 531 | 15.5 | 49.6 (5.1) | 0.29 | 49.9 (2.5) | 1.00 | 19.0 (2.5) | 1.00 |
| 1–2 hours/day | 2002 | 54.9 | 47.0 (2.7) | 45.2 (1.4) | 0.83 (0.66–1.04) | 18.4 (2.1) | 0.96 (0.66–1.40) | |
| 3+ hours/day | 1508 | 29.7 | 58.2 (5.2) | 46.9 (2.5) | 0.89 (0.67–1.16) | 19.8 (1.8) | 1.05 (0.80–1.39) | |
| Average hours of computer use | ||||||||
| 0 hours/day | 1300 | 36.6 | 50.1 (2.8) | 0.89 | 46.0 (1.8) | 1.00 | 20.0 (2.0) | 1.00 |
| 1–2 hours/day | 1155 | 29.9 | 52.2 (4.0) | 46.8 (1.7) | 1.03 (0.82–1.29) | 20.2 (2.3) | 1.01 (0.72–1.42) | |
| 3+ hours/day | 1581 | 33.5 | 49.6 (3.9) | 46.6 (1.5) | 1.02 (0.90–1.17) | 16.4 (2.0) | 0.78 (0.53–1.16) | |
| C-reactive protein§ | ||||||||
| Not detectable | 860 | 23.9 | 42.2 (2.6) | 0.0008 | 42.8 (1.9) | 1.00 | 17.1 (2.3) | 1.00 |
| 0.2 – 0.4 mg/L | 834 | 20.8 | 49.2 (4.7) | 42.5 (2.7) | 0.99 (0.79–1.24) | 18.1 (2.9) | 1.07 (0.67–1.69) | |
| 0.4 – 1.4 mg/L | 804 | 18.7 | 55.0 (3.2) | 51.7 (2.6) | 1.43 (1.07–1.92) | 18.5 (2.1) | 1.10 (0.73–1.65) | |
| >1.4 – 13.6 mg/L | 888 | 19.1 | 62.5 (5.9) | 50.8 (2.4) | 1.38 (1.11–1.72) | 20.7 (2.3) | 1.26 (0.93–1.72) | |
| Missing/unknown | 725 | 17.6 | 30.6 (8.0) | 35.6 (6.0) | 19.8 (2.1) | |||
*
Test for linear trend, except chi-square test used for sex and race/ethnicity. Tests do not include missing data.
†
Atopy defined as at least one positive allergen-specific IgE result.
‡
Only available for subjects up to age 15.
§
Values represent tertiles above detection.