title: Influence of profilin on sensitisation profiles determined by cutaneous tests and IgE to major allergens in polysensitised patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Profilin sensitisation is considered a diagnostic confounding factor in areas where patients are exposed to multiple pollens. The aim of this study is to assess pollen sensitisation profiles in adults and children and to evaluate, by means of component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) and skin prick testing (SPT), which pollens may be considered as risk factors of profilin sensitisation in order to establish the best diagnostic approach in polysensitised patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 231 pollen-allergic patients (adults and children) were included, out of the pollen season, from an area with similar levels of pollen exposure. Allergological diagnosis was performed by SPT and determination of specific IgE (sIgE) to major allergen components (ADVIA-Centaur™). Patients had not received immunotherapy in the last 5 years and had to reside in the area for 5 consecutive years before entering the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relation between sensitisation measured by SPT and by sIgE was studied using a model of cases (patients with +sIgE to a specific allergen) and controls (patients with -sIgE to the same allergen). The outcome, in terms of odds-ratios (OR), was statistically significant for Olea (Ole e 1) (p = 0.0005), Salsola (Sal k 1) (p = 0.0118) and Platanus (Pla a 1+ 2) (p = 0.0372). While positivity of SPT to most pollens was statistically associated with a risk of profilin sensitisation, by CRD the association was statistically significant only for Ole e 1 (OR 3.5, CI 95 %, 1.6-7.6, p = 0.0014), and Phl p 5 (OR 11.9, CI 95 %, 4.1-35.2, p < 0.001). When analysing this association using a logistic regression model, Phl p 5 was the only allergen associated with the risk of being sensitised to profilin (p = 0.0023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients sensitised to profilin, the concordance between SPT and CRD is much lower than in those not sensitised to profilin. CRD is able to provide refined information about which pollens increase the risk of sensitisation to profilin.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Universitario, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Nieves
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.affiliation: Consorcio de Salud de Aragón, Huesca, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abos
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Huesca, Spain.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Compaired
authors.affiliation: Hospital Royo Villanova, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Compés
authors.affiliation: Hospital Miguel Servet, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Guallar
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Universitario, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Consorcio de Salud de Aragón, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monzón
authors.affiliation: Hospital Militar, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mozota
authors.affiliation: Hospital Obispo Polanco, Teruel, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Policlínica Sagasta, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pola
authors.affiliation: Hospital Militar, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Macarena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.affiliation: Hospital Obispo Polanco, Teruel, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Hospital Militar, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Sara San
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Universitario, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Felicitas
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.affiliation: Policlínica Sagasta, Saragossa, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zapata
authors.affiliation: ALK-Abelló, S.A., C/Miguel Fleta, 19, 28037 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jimeno
authors.affiliation: ALK-Abelló, S.A., C/Miguel Fleta, 19, 28037 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de la Torre
keywords: Component-resolved diagnosis; Polysensitisation; Profilin; Skin prick test