Comparison between skin testing and in vitro testing for diagnosis of allergen in asthmatic children.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to compare the skin testing and in vitro testing for the diagnosis of most common inhalant allergens in asthmatic children.


METHODS
Sixty-two asthmatic children positive to most common allergens in the area of skin tests and multiple allergosorbent chemiluminescent assay (MAST-CLA) were subjected to another Pharmacia CAP test (CAP).


RESULTS
The agreement between the results of MAST-CLA and CAP was variable. The correlation coefficient for CAP with MAST-CLA was significant for five allergens except candida, dog dander and Willow pollen when the diagnostic levels of MAST-CLA and CAP were compared with skin test reactions. For all the allergens tested, MAST-CLA showed a sensitivity of 51%, a specificity of 84% and an efficiency of 73%, compared with 57%, 80% and 74%, respectively, in the CAP analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
MAST-CLA and CAP can be used as a screening test to measure allergen IgE level. Both MAST-CLA and CAP were comparable in their ability to diagnose of allergy to tested allergens.
Tang
R B
RB
Department of Pediatrics, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Wu
K G
KG
Hwang
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012882:Skin Tests
D000485:Allergens