title: A comparison of cutaneous testing and ELISA testing for assessing reactivity to ethylene oxide-human serum albumin in hemodialysis patients with anaphylactic reactions.
abstract: In five patients who have experienced anaphylaxis and in 29 patients who have not had such episodes during hemodialysis, we have performed two immunologic studies: cutaneous testing with ethylene oxide-human serum albumin (ETO-HSA) and ELISA for IgE against ETO-HSA. Four of five patients with reactions had positive cutaneous tests, whereas only one nonreactor had a positive skin test (p less than 0.0002). The same four of five patients with reactions also had positive ELISA results, whereas three nonreactors has positive ELISA results (p less than 0.003). In this group of patients, the positive predictive value of cutaneous testing (80%) is somewhat higher than that of ELISA testing (57%). However, the sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive values are similar. We conclude that cutaneous testing with ETO-HSA probably offers a small advantage over IgE against ETO-HSA as determined by ELISA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Ill 60611.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grammer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wiggins
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Fitzsimons
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Ivanovich
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Roxe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D005027:Ethylene Oxide