ABSTRACT
The MAST CLA system was evaluated against skin prick test (SPT) for diagnosis of allergies to house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae) and cats. Forty three asthmatic children were examined by SPT and MAST CLA. Chi-square analysis indicated significant association between SPT and MAST CLA results for the house dust mites but not for cats. The sensitivities of MAST CLA for house dust mites and cats were 100 and 25% respectively; specificities were all less than 50%. The efficiency of MAST CLA for detection of allergy to the house dust mites was 88% and 44% for cats. A significant linear correlation was found between SPT wheal size and MAST CLA grade for D. farinae but not for D. pteronyssinus and cats. It is concluded that the MAST CLA allergy system can be used to supplement SPT for diagnosis of allergies to house dust mites but not to cats.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Allergens/diagnosis , Animals , Cats/immunology , Luminescent Measurements , Child , Dust/adverse effects , Humans , Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Immunoassay/methods , Linear Models , Mites/immunology , Sensitivity and Specificity , Skin TestsABSTRACT
Immediate allergic reaction of the skin, non allergic airway responsiveness of the bronchi, and serum IgE levels were estimated in 25 atopic non asthmatic subjects and 15 controls. A good correlation was observed between these three parameters i.e. patients with positive skin response to allergen had increased airway responsiveness and significantly increased levels of serum IgE. However, the serum levels of IgE provided a significantly better indication of the likely presence of bronchial allergic reactivity than did the skin reactivity. The results indicate that knowledge of the airway responsiveness to histamine, skin sensitivity to allergen and serum IgE levels can predict the presence of airways responsiveness to an allergen. In all atopic non asthmatic individuals with a significant correlation between these parameters, the relevant allergen could stand identified as having the potential to provoke attacks of clinical asthma.