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The Effects of Alcohol Consumption and Smoking on Allergy Risk in Korean Adults

Background The immune-modulating effects of alcohol and smoking are well known through a great body of research. Furthermore, many studies have been performed on the influence of alcohol and smoking on the development of allergic disease. However, previous studies have reported conflicting results with associations between alcohol intake or smoking and risk of allergy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol consumption and smoking on total serum immunoglobulin E (TIgE) and prevalence of sensitization to Dermatophagoides farinae in a representative sample of Korean adults. Methods TIgE levels and IgE levels specific to D. farinae were measured. Alcohol, smoking habit, and other influencing variables were obtained from the 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination. Results Smoking (smoked five packs or more in lifetime) was independently associated with increased risk of sensitization to D. farinae (odds ratio [OR], 1.439; 95% CI, 1.075–1.927). Frequent alcohol drinking (more than four times a week) also showed similar association when compared with subjects who drank less than once per month (OR, 2.052; 95% CI, 1.257–3.350). TIgE levels were also increased along with increased frequency of alcohol drinking. However, smoking habit was not related to TIgE levels. Conclusion These findings suggest that history of smoking and frequent alcohol consumption are significantly associated with increased prevalence of sensitization to D. farinae. In addition, frequency of alcohol drinking was also related to a moderate increase in TIgE levels in Korean adults.