title: [Value of specific IgE levels in the etiological diagnosis of asthma].
abstract: The authors report a study of skin and inhalation tests and of specific IgE in 76 control subjects and 180 patients with allergic asthma. There is a remarkable correlation between the skin tests and the R.A.S.T. in pollinosis (96% of correlation) and in the respiratory allergy to Dermatrophagoides pteronyssinus (120 patients and 87.5% of correlation). It is good in the allergy to animal dander (82% of correlation) but poorer in the respiratory allergy to house dust (62% of correlation). The comparative study of inhalation tests and R.A.S.T. confirms that the degree of correlation depends on the quality of the allergens and on the patients selection. With the extract of house dust (101 cases) the correlation is only of 61.9%, whereas it reaches 95% with a purified extract of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (38 cases). The comparison between the treshold of allergenic sensitivity and the group of R.A.S.T. shows that to one group of high R.A.S.T. usually corresponds a low treshold of bronchial sensitivity (D.L.A.L. less than 100 gamma of extract of D. pt. in 22 patients having a R.A.S.T.D. pt. of group 3 or 4). Besides being valuable in characterizing allergens, the R.A.S.T. when confronted to the case history, to skin and inhalation tests, provides supplementary information leading to a more precise allergological diagnosis. In respiratory allergies caused by well known allergens (pollen, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus), the R.A.S.T. could be substituted to skin and inhalation tests, when in agreement with clinical data. In doubtful cases, the inhalation tests would still keep their value and the confrontation of different techniques is necessary.
mesh_terms: D000053:Acari; D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004391:Dust; D005241:Feathers; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006197:Hair; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D011058:Pollen; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
vernacular_title: Intérêt du dosage des IgE spécifiques dans le diagnostic etiologique de l'asthme