[Testing basophil activation by flow cytometry in the diagnosis of allergy to hymenopteran venom]. / Le test d'activation des basophiles par cytométrie en flux dans le diagnostic de l'allergie aux venins d'hyménoptères.

Diagnosis of allergy to hymenoptera venom must be precise and depends on indisputable bio-clinical criteria, because of specific immunotherapy for indications such as systemic and/or anaphylactic reactions. Until nowadays, diagnosis was by specific IgE, histamine release and skin tests, most often done for the venoms of wasp, honey bee and hornet at the same time since, in 7-8 cases in 10 the patients had not identified the responsible insect. Basophil activation test (TAB) by Flux cytometry and measurement of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) are new techniques of great reliability. The work shows the correlations between the different immunobiological parameters by reference to TAB by CAF and measurement of LTC4. When the overall results for mixed venoms or those for single venoms are considered, the correlations between TAB, LTC4 and the other parameters are highly significant. It can now be considered objectively that TAB by CTF and measurement of LCT4 are the two highest-performing techniques for diagnosis of hymenoptera venom allergy and so validates them.

[Comparison of the measurements of total IGE using the CAP-RIA technique and the UNICAP-FEIA technique]. / Comparaison du dosage d'IgE totales par la technique CAP-RIA et et par la technique UNICAP-FEIA.

The contribution of a new method of measurement of total IgE by the Fluoro-Enzymo-Immuno-assay (FEIA) with the assistance of Pharmacia UNICAP automation is very reliable since, when compared with the measurement by the CAP SYSTEM RIA on 144 patients who were clinically allergic (84 with a raised and 60 with a normal IgE titre) the result of a comparative study between the two techniques is statistically highly significant. The two methods were also compared by age groups and these results were also statistically highly significant.