title: Specific tear IgE in patients with moderate-to-severe autumnal allergic conjunctivitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, a new commercial test for specific IgE based on immunochromatography (Immfast Check J1®) has been developed. We previously reported on the use of this kit for tear fluid samples during spring. In this study, we compared the level of specific IgE in tear fluid among patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis during spring or autumn and control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nonrandomized, cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with moderate-to-severe allergic conjunctivitis occurring in spring (n = 56, spring group) or autumn (n = 52, autumn group), as well as in age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (n = 50, control group). Levels of specific IgE for cedar pollen, cat epithelium and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were measured in tear fluid with the Immfast Check J1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specific IgE scores for cedar pollen and D. pteronyssinus were significantly higher in the spring and autumn groups than in the control group (p < 0.0001). In the autumn group, the highest detection rate for a specific allergen was 96.2% for D. pteronyssinus, followed by cedar pollen (86.5%) and cat epithelium (25.5%). In the spring group, the highest detection rate was 98.3% for cedar pollen, followed by D. pteronyssinus (51.7%) and cat epithelium (19.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that both house dust mite allergen and outdoor allergens such as cedar pollen can be causes of allergic conjunctivitis during both spring and autumn in Japan. The Immfast Check J1 provides rapid measurement of specific IgE in tear fluid, which allows easy diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis in an outpatient setting.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Ophthalmology, Toranomon Hospital, 2-2-2 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. mimurat-tky@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Mikiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Hideharu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Funatsu
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noma
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology*; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D012621:Seasons; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013666:Tears / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D007073:Immunoglobulin E