Each person has their own unique brand of asthma, with their own personal asthma triggers and set of asthma symptoms. But 6 out of every 10 people who have asthma have a kind of asthma known as allergic asthma.

When you have the allergic type of asthma, your body is thought to make too much of a substance known as Immunoglobulin E, or IgE for short, in response to certain allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander and cockroaches. This extra IgE may lead to asthma symptoms and asthma attacks. It seems that IgE has an early role in the immune system response that causes allergic asthma.

So, experts believe that reducing IgE may help prevent asthma symptoms and attacks before they start. You can find out if IgE is contributing to your allergic asthma by getting an IgE test from an asthma specialist. The IgE test is a simple blood test. Getting your IgE results can help your doctor develop a better treatment plan for you.

Learn More:

• What's My IgE website
• What's My IgE brochure
• Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America