Assessment of Commercial Specific IgE Assay for Detection of Allergens in Allergic Patients

Abstract

Allergy is a serious health problem throughout the world, affecting people of all ages. Allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis are becoming an epidemic in our country, the cost of investigating these diseases is increasing and becoming expensively high. There are many ways to explore allergenic antibodies to assess the presence the amount of specific IgE as: Skin test (Prick), Specific IgE (ELISA), RAST Sp.IgE and Elimination Challenge method. Skin test produces pain, local and anaphylactic reaction and patient discomfort, other procedure with highly cost to patient. So, we have built up an evidence to use it in our allergy and immunology clinic has suitable cost for all patients based about for the other tests but it was very simple, accurate, cheap and does not produce any problems to patients. Our test depends on ELISA technique, it measures the quantitative amount of the following different allergens: As regard food allergens: Milk, Eggs, Banana, Maize, Fish, Chocolate, Wheat, Nuts, Strawberry, Shrimps, Spices, with drug as Aspirin. As regard inhalants as: House dust, Mite, Mixed Pollens, Mixed Moulds, Hay dust, Wool, Latex and Cat Hair. 150 allergic patient results of our test compared with specific IgE national kits (ELISA), Sp.IgE (RAST), Skin test and elimination challenge test. The statistical evaluation results as regard senistivity respectively: 88.9%, 89.6%, 91.2%, 71.4%, 93.1%. As regard specificity the results: 93.1%, 94.7%, 95.3%, 65.5%, 91.6%, the latter results showed that our test was in line with all tests. Our test was probably in food, drug and inhalant allergens, it can be also noted that the cheapest and most commercial technique was used, so as to be available immediately in standard laboratory and its reagents, plate and other requirements were prepared locally in our laboratory. Now it was applying successfully in allergy and immunology unit Ain Shams university hospitals in Egypt .