Survey study, 2010
Is your immune system response linked to asthma that gets worse before your period?
Yes. Women with asthma worsening before their period had higher levels of one immune marker (IgE) than those without. Specific allergens did not seem to matter.
What they did
59 asthmatic women tracked their breathing throughout their menstrual cycle and had blood tests for immune markers. Doctors graded asthma severity.
What they found
31 of 59 women had asthma worsening before their period. Of those, 26 had high IgE levels, compared with 12 of the 28 without this pattern. 21 of the 31 tested positive for airborne allergens, versus 14 of the 28.
What it means for you
Immune markers are more common in women whose asthma worsens before their period, suggesting immune activity plays a role in this pattern. The study was small, so findings need confirmation in larger research.
31 of 59
had asthma that worsened before their period
84%
with premenstrual asthma had high IgE
43%
without premenstrual asthma had high IgE
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual asthma and atopy markers
- Authors
- Pereira-Vega A, Sánchez JL, Maldonado JA et al.
- Journal
- Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
- Year
- 2010
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 59
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2010.06.022
Topics
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