Comparison of four in vitro assays for specific IgE detection.
Three immunoenzymatic techniques for specific IgE detection (Pharmacia CAP System, Kallestad Allercoat System, Neo Abellò Hamlet-IgE) and the classical Phadebas RAST were compared using 34 sera from patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergic disease and 19 sera from healthy non-atopic controls. IgE antibodies to 9 aeroallergens and 6 food antigens were assessed and 399 tests were run with each method. All techniques showed a high specificity (92%-100%) and satisfactory efficiency (82%-98%), while the sensitivity for RAST, CAP, Allercoat and Hamlet was 89%, 91%, 83% and 53%, respectively, with the lowest values for food allergens. There was a good overall correlation of the four techniques, except when the Hamlet method was compared with the other methods for food-specific IgE detection (correlation coefficient < 0.3). These data indicate that CAP, Allercoat and RAST are satisfactory techniques for specific IgE determination, either for inhalants or for food allergens; CAP, however, offers the highest sensitivity without loss of specificity.
Boccagni
P
P
Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Verona, Italy.
Favari
F
F
Zanoni
G
G
Pezzini
A
A
Tridente
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E