Total IgE

Also written as: IgE, immunoglobulin E

The overall level of the antibody class involved in allergic reactions.

What it measures

The total amount of immunoglobulin E, the antibody class the immune system uses in allergic responses and in defense against parasites. It reflects the combined level from all triggers at once, not any single allergy.

Why a doctor orders it

Ordered when allergic conditions such as asthma, eczema, or hay fever are being evaluated, or when a parasitic infection is being considered. It gives a general picture only; allergen-specific IgE tests are used to look at individual triggers.

What is generally associated with a higher result

Broadly associated with allergic conditions such as asthma, eczema, and hay fever, and with parasitic infections. The overlap between allergic and non-allergic people is wide - some people with significant allergies have unremarkable totals, and some people with high totals have no allergy symptoms at all.

What is generally associated with a lower result

Low values are generally not pursued.

Everyday things that move this number

Not every shift in a value reflects disease. These are ordinary factors known to affect this particular measurement:

Season and recent allergen exposure, such as high pollen periods
Age - levels naturally shift across childhood and adult life
Smoking and secondhand smoke exposure
Recent viral illnesses

Questions to take to your appointment

Would allergen-specific IgE testing be more useful for identifying my particular triggers?
Could the season or a recent exposure at the time of the draw have influenced this?
Does this result change whether skin-prick testing is worth doing?

Build a printable questionnaire with your own results →

Where to read more

MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine, publishes patient-facing pages on individual lab tests and is a reliable next stop: medlineplus.gov/lab-tests .

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