Logistic regression analyses (adjusted by age, gender, body mass index, initial FEV1, smoking status, history of asthma, history of allergy) revealed that the highest tertiles of total IgE (> 91.5 IU/ml) and allergen-specific IgE (> 0.19 IU/ml) were both associated with a significant risk for lung function decline (Fig. 3D and Additional file 1: Tables S4A and B). This evidence concerns the gene IGHE and allergic disease.