title: In vitro diagnosis in asthma: the state-of-the-art.
abstract: "In vitro assays in asthmatic patients have been exploring the "allergic" component of asthma. Solid-phase IgE tests can supplement or replace skin tests. Histamine release and determination are performed with automated, or RIA/ELISA; however, these assays are still research oriented. More recently, tryptase has been investigated, and the serum levels of this enzyme correlate well with mast-cell activation. But asthma is a multifactorial/facetted syndrome, and these assays provide minimal and specific informations which may just focus on limited etiological aspects of an elusive malady".
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Halpern
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000592:standards; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006636:Histamine Release; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000503:physiopathology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000941:Antigens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; C023073:tosylarginine methyl ester hydrolase