Therefore, subjects were only included if they had a diagnosis of asthma (at least three episodes of wheezing confirmed by clinical examination on hospital admission) and proof of atopy (positive skin prick testing for at least one common aeroallergen grass pollen mix, hazel, birch pollen, cat dander, house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum and/or elevation of specific serum IgE). The gene discussed is IGHE; the disease is asthma.