title: Specific Immunoglobulin (Ig) G Reference Intervals for Common Food, Insect, and Mold Allergens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical utility of serum IgG measurement in the diagnosis of allergy and food-induced hypersensitivity has been largely discredited. Recent studies, however, have shown that specific IgG can inhibit IgE mediated allergies, and may play a role in allergen specific desensitization. Accurate reference intervals for IgG specific allergens have not been widely established and are needed for better interpretation of serum antibody concentrations. In this study we established 64 IgG reference intervals for 48 common food allergens, 5 venoms, and 11 molds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specific IgG concentrations were determined employing an automated fluorescent enzyme immunoassay on serum samples from 130 normal adults (65 males and 65 females), age range 18-69 y, mean 37.3 y.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lower reference interval limit for all allergens tested (n=64) was <2 mcg/mL. The median upper reference interval value for all 64 allergens was 12.9 mcg/mL, with Tuna (f40) having the lowest upper interval limit at 3.8 mcg/mL, and the mold Setomelanomma rostrate (m8) demonstrating the highest upper interval limit at 131 mcg/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The considerable variation observed among the upper reference interval limits emphasizes the need for the establishment of allergen specific ranges for IgG. These newly established ranges should be a useful aid for clinicians in the interpretation of laboratory serum IgG results.
authors.affiliation: ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA martintb@aruplab.com.|Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bandhauer
authors.affiliation: ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wilcock
authors.affiliation: ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.|Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.|Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Harry R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.|Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Slev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Allergens; IgG; adult; immunoassay; reference intervals