title: Usefulness of antigen-specific IgE probability curves derived from the 3gAllergy assay in diagnosing egg, cow's milk, and wheat allergies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Specific IgE (sIgE) antibody detection using the Siemens IMMULITE®3gAllergy™ (3gAllergy) assay have not been sufficiently examined for the diagnosis of food allergy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of measuring sIgE levels using the 3gAllergy assay to diagnose allergic reactions to egg, milk, and wheat.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study was conducted on patients with diagnosed or suspected allergies to egg, milk and wheat. Patients were divided into two groups according to their clinical reactivity to these allergens based on oral food challenge outcomes and/or convincing histories of immediate reaction to causative food(s). The sIgE levels were measured using 3gAllergy and ImmunoCAP. Predicted probability curves were estimated using logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed 1561 patients, ages 0-19 y (egg = 436, milk = 499, wheat = 626). The sIgE levels determined using 3gAllergy correlated with those of ImmunoCAP, classifying 355 patients as symptomatic: egg = 149, milk = 123, wheat = 83. 3gAllergy sIgE levels were significantly higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients (P < 0.0001). Predictive probability for positive food allergy was significantly increased and correlated with increased sIgE levels. The cut-offs for allergic reaction with 95% predictive probability as determined by the 3gAllergy probability curves were different from those of ImmunoCAP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurements of sIgE against egg, milk, and wheat as determined by 3gAllergy may be used as a tool to facilitate the diagnosis of food allergy in subjects with suspected food allergies. However, these probability curves should not be applied interchangeably between different assays.
authors: Department of Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Allergology and Rheumatology, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan. Electronic address: s-satou@sagamihara-hosp.gr.jp.
authors: Sakura
authors: S
authors: Sato
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Kiyotake
authors: K
authors: Ogura
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Kyohei
authors: K
authors: Takahashi
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Clinical Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors: Yasunori
authors: Y
authors: Sato
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Noriyuki
authors: N
authors: Yanagida
authors: Department of Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Allergology and Rheumatology, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Motohiro
authors: M
authors: Ebisawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D004531:Eggs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014908:Triticum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D021182:Wheat Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Egg; Food hypersensitivity; Immunoglobulin E; Milk; Wheat