title: Determination of the food specific IgE antibodies: comparison of MAST-CLA and CAP systems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was carried out to compare two techniques used to determine the food specific IgE antibody.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four allergic patients were evaluated for most common food IgE antibodies by multiple allergosorbent chemiluminescent assay (MAST-CLA). IgE antibodies to eight of these food allergens were also measured by Pharmacia CAP (CAP) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The food specific IgE showed good agreement between MAST-CLA and CAP (kappa = 0.3-0.77). The sensitivity of MAST-CLA assay for food specific IgE antibody was variable comparing with that of CAP system. The accuracy ranged from 0.76 to 0.97. The agreement between the results of MAST-CLA and skin test was variable (kappa = 0.03-0.58). The agreement was poor in wheat, peanut and soybean (kappa = 0.03-0.12). Similar result between CAP and skin test was also obtained (kappa = 0.06-0.82). The agreement was poor in wheat (kappa = 0.06) and milk (kappa = 0.15).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different results might be related to quality of the extract, how they are performed in vitro test and difference of correspondent allergens employed in the tests.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E