Korean J Lab Med.  2010 Dec;30(6):660-667. 10.3343/kjlm.2010.30.6.660.

Usefulness of Total IgE in Predicting Positive Allergen Specific IgE Tests in Korean Subjects

• Jung SW
• Oh EJ
• Lee J
• Kim Y
• Kim SY
• Kim Y
• Park YJ

• KMID: 1781674
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/kjlm.2010.30.6.660

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Total IgE levels in allergic patients tend to be higher than those in healthy individuals. We evaluated the usefulness of total IgE levels in predicting positive results of allergen specific IgEs in multiple allergen simultaneous tests.
METHODS
A total of 133 patients with allergic symptoms were evaluated. Allergen specific IgEs were detected using 3 different kits: Allergy screen (R-biopharm, Germany), AdvanSure Allergy Screen (LG Life Science, Korea) and Polycheck allergy (Biocheck Co., Germany). Total IgE was measured by turbidoimmunometric assay (LX-2200, Eiken Chemical Co., Japan). The patients were divided into high (> or =170 IU/mL) and low (<170 IU/mL) groups of total IgE level, and the positive rates and number of positive allergen specific IgEs were evaluated in each group. Positive concordance rates among different kits were also evaluated.
RESULTS
High total IgE group showed significantly higher positive rates and number of positive allergen specific IgEs in all of the 3 test kits used compared to low total IgE group. Only two of the allergens, Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus had positive concordance rates of > or =50%. Allergen specific IgEs to these two allergens showed good correlation with total IgE (correlation coefficients >0.5).
CONCLUSIONS
Total IgE appears to be useful in predicting positive results in allergen specific IgE tests to common allergens. The specific IgEs to D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus showed good correlation with total IgE. However, for other allergens, significant differences were observed among different test kits, and the standardization of allergens in multiple allergen simultaneous tests is needed.

Keyword

Total IgE; Multiple allergen simultaneous test; Specific IgE

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Allergens/*immunology
Animals
Child
Child, Preschool
Dermatophagoides farinae/immunology
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus/immunology
Female
Humans
Hypersensitivity, Immediate/*diagnosis
Immunoglobulin E/*blood
Male
Middle Aged
Predictive Value of Tests
Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
Republic of Korea

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Correlation between total IgE measured by immunoturbidometric assay and specific IgE class against Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus determined by Allergy Screen (A, B), Advansure Allergy screen (C, D), and Polycheck Allergy (E, F).

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