title: Value of antibody level in diagnosing anhydride-induced immunologic respiratory disease.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine whether immunologic anhydride-induced respiratory disease could be predicted on the basis of the level of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) or immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody. Eight-one anhydride-exposed employees in one plant were studied. Fourteen had disease and 67 did not. Immunologic studies were performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and expressed as titers. When optimal discriminant analysis was used, IgE < 1:5 and IgG < or = 1:10 were found to be the optimal titers for separating employees with and without immunologic respiratory disease caused by anhydrides. When IgG < or = 1:10 was used, 62 of 81 workers were correctly classified; the sensitivity was 100%, the positive predictive value was 45%, the specificity was 75%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. When IgE < 1:5 was used, 73 of 81 workers were correctly classified; the sensitivity was 86%, the positive predictive value was 67%, the specificity was 91%, and the negative predictive value was 97%. In conclusion, anhydride disease status can be predicted on the basis of specific IgG or IgE antibody level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grammer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shaughnessy
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Berggruen
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Yarnold
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D004853:Epoxy Resins; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides; C005752:araldite; D007073:Immunoglobulin E