scholarly journals ALLERGEN COMPONENT TESTING – A NEW ERA IN DIAGNOSTICS OF PATIENTS WITH POLLEN ALLERGY

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-394
Author(s):  
Svitlana Zubchenko ◽  
Olena Sharikadze ◽  
Stepan Maruniak

Introduction: Pollen allergy, also called hay fever or pollinosis, is referred to the most widespread allergic diseases. According to different sources, from 5 to 34% of the population in developed countries are likely to suffer from this condition. Moreover, the majority of patients are young people of working age The aim: To demonstrate a practical decision of the choice of effective treatment tactics based on component testing in patients with pollen allergy. Materials and methods: 126 рatients with allergic rhinitis / conjunctivitis were randomly selected according to their primary visit during the first week in August of the current year. Among them, 53 (42.0%) female and 73 (58.0%) male, aged 22-47 years. General laboratory and instrumental investigations, skin prick test with allergen extracts (Diater, Spain), measurement of total serum and specific IgE by immunoenzymatic assay method using test system “Euroimmun” were performed. Immunofluorescent method ImmunoCap (Thermo Scientific, Uppsala, Swiss) was used to detect specific components of allergens. The material of investigation was blood serum. Results: According to the results of skin prick-test, 50% of patients could receive allergen immunotherapy with two different extracts of allergens “Mixture of Weeds” and “Mixture of Grass”. On molecular investigations, it was detected that this combination was not suitable for any patient (20% of individuals had genuine sensitization to allergens of grass pollen, including a marker of cross-reactive molecules, 30% of individuals were sensitized with genuine allergens of Artemisia and/or ambrosia). Conclusions: Based on skin prick-test and molecular diagnostics, the doctor makes a completely different decision on the choice of extracts for allergen immunotherapy conduction. Component determination of a sensitized profile and high sensitivity of this method enables to reveal a genuine protein, which is the primary cause of allergy occurrence and administer etiotropic allergen-specific immunotherapy with the allergen, to which sensitization was detected.

Author(s):  
Divya Aggarwal ◽  
Abhilash S. ◽  
Sunil Kapur ◽  
Divya Gupta

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> The diagnosis of allergic rhinitis requires a detailed history, thorough clinical examination and identification of aeroallergens by skin prick test. The diagnosis cannot be confirmed on the basis of symptoms alone because both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis can present with similar symptoms. The present study was undertaken to identify the common aeroallergens causing allergic rhinitis and to find any relationship of the severity of patient’s symptoms with raised levels of absolute eosinophil count, percentage of eosinophils in the peripheral blood and total serum IgE.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> It is cross sectional study was conducted among 100 patients including both the genders attending out-patient department of ENT. The patients were divided into mild, moderate and severe disease categories based on nasal symptom score (NSS) which was calculated taking into account the severity of four symptoms namely sneezing, watery rhinorrhoea, itching sensation in nose and nasal obstruction.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> 76% of patients had moderate nasal symptom score and 42% had symptoms of allergic rhinitis for less than 3 years. The prevalence of skin prick test was strongly positive for pollens (46.19%), followed by dust (16.4%), dust mites (15.7%), fungus (9.7%), insects (9.24%) and epithelia (2.77%). But, among 68 aeroallergens, most common offending allergen was D-farinae (30%). There was no significant relationship found to exist between Eosinophilia, Absolute eosinophil count and serum IgE level with that of nasal symptom score.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Skin prick test is the gold standard investigation of choice for definitive diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.</p><p class="abstract"> </p>


Author(s):  
Prajwal Pandey ◽  
◽  
Wei Min Shi ◽  
Samir Shrestha ◽  
◽  
...  

Background: Studies from around the world show that the prevalence and incidence of sensitization to allergens are higher in urban settings. Skin Prick Test (SPT) is being used more frequently now to investigate specific allergen sensitivity along with serum IgE level. Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of sub-clinical allergy susceptibility and to see association with gender, season, age, urticaria, eczema, dermatitis and total serum IgE. Method and methodology: Eight hundred and ninety-two patients referred by dermatologist to rule out allergic sensitizations underwent SPT within one year. We calculated susceptible group and evaluated its ability to predict diseases like urticaria, eczema and non-specific dermatitis in general population. Result: The antigens that had the highest prevalence throughout the year were Mould II (32.38%) and Dermatophagoides farina (33.78%). The susceptibility to allergen was affected by season and age, however was not affected by gender. The predictability was highly statistically significant for Urticaria, Eczema and Non-specific Dermatitis. Conclusion: We conclude that the allergen susceptibility is high and is significantly correlated to the prevalence of allergic disorders in the sample population of a modern city like Shanghai. The susceptibility to allergen is affected by season and age. Keywords: skin prick test; total serum IgE; sub-clinical allergy susceptibility.


QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S M Reda ◽  
N M Radwan ◽  
H R Abdelghany

Abstract Background Soy protein is an important component of soybeans and is one the 8 most significant food allergens. Yet, the prevalence of soy allergy in the pediatric population is not well defined. Objectives To evaluate the incidence of IgE mediated soy protein sensitization among children with clinical manifestation of atopic disorders by the use of skin prick test (SPT) for soy protein. Methods Two hundred patients with atopic manifestations attending the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Clinic at the Pediatric Department of Ain shams University, were recruited between January 2017 till January 2018. They were subjected to SPT to soy protein, measurement of total serum IgE and eosinophilic count in the peripheral blood. Results Of the 200 patients, 108 (54%) were males and 92 (46%) were females with a male to female ratio of 1.17:1. Their ages ranged between 2 years and 15 years (mean±SD; 6.0±33.3 years). Seven patients (3.5%) had positive skin prick test to soy protein. The mean value for the absolute eosinophilic count was 0.4x109/L. The median for the total serum IgE level was 50 IU/L. According to age, the highest percentage of soy protein sensitivity was elicited among patients less than 3 years (57.14%), followed by those between 3 to 6 years (28.5%) and those between 6 and 15 years (14.28%). A positive family history of atopy was recorded in 122 (61%) of all cases. In terms of gender, incidence of soya sensitivity was higher among males than females but with no statistical difference. Although the most common allergic manifestations of all studied patients were respiratory (83%), and atopic dermatitis (22.5%), yet positive SPT to soy proteins was elicited in 43% in allergic rhinitis cases, in 29% of asthma patients, in 14% of patients with combined asthma and allergic rhinitis, and 14.3% of patients having eczema. Conclusion Soy protein sensitization is not uncommon in children especially in those with atopic manifestations. Large scale studies are needed to evaluate the actual incidence of soy protein hypersensitivity in children.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-135
Author(s):  
Krishna V Chaitanya ◽  
Lakshmi C Kalavathi

Introduction Bent and Kuhn criteria are the most commonly accepted diagnostic criteria for diagnosis of Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis. Other diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis include unilateral nasal disease, Charcot Leyden crystals, bony erosions which form the minor criteria in the diagnosis of Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis. Clinical and Laboratory features in Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis are variable. These variations in the diagnostic criteria in the diagnosis of Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis have been analysed in the present study. Materials and Methods Prospective study was performed on group of 46 patients of Allergic fungal Rhinosinusitis presenting in the Otorhinolaryngology OPD with symptoms of Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis as diagnosed and persisting for more than 3 months during September 2009 to August 2010. Results Absolute eosinophil count was elevated in 80.43%, total serum IgE elevated in 69.67%, skin prick test was positive in 63.05% of patients. CT scan revealed that most common paranasal sinus involved is ethmoid sinus as seen in 73.91% cases., Sphenoid sinus was least involved as seen in 17.40% cases. More than one paranasal sinus were involved in 65.21% of the cases.,Complete opacification of all sinuses with calcified deposits were seen in 4.76% cases. Mucosal thickening was seen bilaterally in 73.91% of the patients and bony erosion was noted in 6.52% of patients. Histopathology of nasal smears revealed Eosinophilia in 80.43% of patients. Inflammatory Charcot Leyden crystals were found in 15.21% of the patients45.65% showed goblet cell hyperplasia . Other types of inflammatory cells were seen in 56.52%of the study population and 23.91% patients showed positive fungal hyphae. Discussion The significance of absolute eosinophil count, skin prick test, histopathology, CT Scan features and nasal smear cytology have been discussed along with review of literature. Conclusion Although management of Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis has advanced tremendously with better understanding of underlying pathogenesis, diagnostic strategies are still far from clear and are still emerging. Lot of research work has to be carried out regarding relevant diagnostic criteria for the disease.


2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Schenny Regina Lubis ◽  
Lily Lrsa ◽  
Rita Evalina ◽  
Supriatmo Supriatmo ◽  
M. Sjabaroeddin

Background Allergic diseases cause an increasingly largeburden in developed countries and in urban areas of middleincomecountries . Paras itic infections may induce allergicresponses in humans, particularly soil-transmitted helminth(STH) infections that are prevalent in childhood in developingcountries. Although soil-transmitted helminth infec tions havebeen associated with lower prevalence of allergen skin testreactivity, study outcomes remain inconclusive.Objective To analyze for an association between STH infectionsand skin prick test reactivity in children.Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in August 2009among primary school students aged 7- 12 years, at SecanggangSubdistrict, Langkat District, North Sumatera Province. Sixtyeight children were recruited in this study consisted of 34 childrenwith STH infections and the other 34 children without any STHinfection. Soil-transmitted helminth infections were determinedby Kato-Katz stool examination s. All subjects underwent skinprick tests for seven allergens. Results were con sidered to bepositive if wheal diameters 2: 3 mm and negative when whealdiameters < 3 mm. Data was an alysed by Chi-square test.Results Stool examinations revealed that the most commoninfec tion was T. trichiura (18/34 subjects), followed by mixedinfections (T. trichiura and A lumbricoides; 12/34 subjects), andA. lumbricoides (4134 subjects). There was a significant associationbetween STH infections and negative skin prick test (P= 0.002).In addition, there were significant associations with negative skinprick tests for each helminth type: A. lumbricoides (P=0.001) ,T. trichiura (P=0.01) and mixed infection (P = 0.006). Severeinfection intensity was also significantly associated with negativeskin prick tests (P=0.031) .Conclusion Children with STH infections tend to have negativeskin prick test results.


2014 ◽  
Vol 128 (10) ◽  
pp. 892-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Gowda ◽  
S Lakshmi ◽  
B G Parasuramalu ◽  
C Nagaraj ◽  
B V C Gowda ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground:Allergic rhinitis is the most common form of non-infectious rhinitis, affecting 500 million people worldwide, with one-fifth of those affected living in the Indian subcontinent. The skin prick test is the most valuable test for detecting offending allergens, and can be helpful for patient education, allergen avoidance and immunotherapy planning.Method:The skin prick test was performed with 49 allergens in 486 patients who presented with symptoms of allergic rhinitis, and the allergen profile was studied.Results:Of the 486 allergic rhinitis patients, 335 (68.93 per cent) showed allergen positivity to the skin prick test. Dust mite was the most common allergen, with positive results in 44.65 per cent of cases.Conclusion:The most common offending allergen in our study was the dust mite. Identification of specific allergens for a particular geographical area aids patient education and enables allergen-specific immunotherapy.


2022 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-190
Author(s):  
Nashwa M Selim ◽  
Somia El Sheikh ◽  
Wafaa S Metwally

Objectives: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) has been considered the most effective treatment for IgE mediated allergies, especially respiratory allergies. Several biomarkers have been developed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of AIT, yet none of them have been thoroughly validated. So our objective here is to investigate the usefulness of periostin as a biomaker for monitoring the efficacy of allergen immunotherapy. Materials and methods: This study included 46 healthy non-atopic volunteers and 46 patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). They were sensitized only to date palm pollen. The participants were tested by skin prick test and total serum IgE levels were measured. Serum samples were collected from healthy subjects and allergic patients before and after the one-year AIT. Serum levels of periostin, eotaxin, and sIL-2R were estimated by ELISA. Symptom scores in the allergic patients were also evaluated before and after completing one year AIT. Results: There is a significant increase in serum levels of IgE, periostin, sIL-2R, and eotaxin in allergic patients as compared to healthy controls. Symptom scores, sIL-2R and serum periostin levels were significantly decreased after one-year AIT in AR patients. Conclusion: Periostin can be used as a biomarker to evaluate AIT efficacy in AR patients. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 21(1) 2022 Page : 184-190


2019 ◽  
pp. 23-28
Author(s):  
O. V. Sharikadze ◽  
S. O. Zubchenko ◽  
O. M. Okhotnikova

Various sorts of weed plants with allergenic properties are extended on the territory of Ukraine. Weed’s distribution has regional characteristics. Clinically significant weed allergens are found in pollen from wormwood, ragweed, quinoa, plantain, and thistle. The main treatment for hay fever is allergen immunotherapy. The modern development of molecular diagnostics makes it possible to clearly identify the main allergen of weed pollen and, on this basis, offer the patient a personalized choice of allergen immunotherapy with the possibility of predicting its effectiveness. In order to determine the characteristics of sensitization to weeds in patients of the Central and Western regions of Ukraine and to evaluate the effectiveness of sublingual allergen immunotherapy (SLIT), 1.400 patients from 3 to 65 years of age were examined in these regions. Patients were evaluated general laboratory and instrumental studies, skin prick-tests (SPT), level total serum and specific IgE and component studies. A two-year course of immunotherapy was performed using sublingual allergens of wormwood and ragweed. Evaluation of the effectiveness of SLIT was performed using a visual analogue scale (VAS). According to the results of the study, positive SPT for mugwort was detected 1.2 times more often among patients in the western regions compared with the central regions. Regarding sensitization to ragweed, on the contrary, it was 3.2 times more often observed in patients of the central region. Component diagnostic data confirmed the results of SPT. Patients taking SLIT showed significantly lower VAS (P < 0.05) compared with patients receiving symptomatic therapy. The regional characteristics of sensitization to various types of weeds were found. Latent sensitization to ragweed is increasingly found in patients in the western regions of Ukraine. Use in patients with AR and/or BA SLIT with standardized allergens is an effective and safe treatment method that allows you to quickly control symptoms.  


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Lucassen ◽  
J. Schulte-Pelkum ◽  
C. Csuvarszki ◽  
J. Kleine-Tebbe ◽  
M. Fooke ◽  
...  

Type I hypersensitivity is driven by allergen specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and thus sIgE represents a marker for modern allergy diagnosis. Recently, a rapid assay for the detection of sIgE, termed as (Allergy Lateral Flow Assay) ALFA, has been developed. The objective of our study is the evaluation of a scanner-based system for the semiquantitative interpretation of ALFA results. Agreement to Skin Prick Test (SPT, Allergopharma), ALLERG-O-LIQ System (Dr. Fooke), and ImmunoCAP (Phadia) was investigated using 50 sera tested for specific IgE to timothy grass pollen (g6). 35/50 sera were positive by SPT, ALLERG-O-LIQ, and ImmunoCAP. Excellent agreement was observed between ALFA results and SPT, ImmunoCAP, and ALLERG-O-LIQ. Area under the curve (AUC) values were found at 1.0, and 100% sensitivity and specificity was found versus all other methods. Visual- and scanner-based interpretation of the ALFA results revealed excellent agreement.


Author(s):  
E.М Dityatkovska ◽  
S.V. Biletska

The aim of this study is to assess the dynamics of immunoglobulin E and G under the influence of combined allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) in patients with allergic rhinitis with combined sensitization to pollen and household allergens. Materials and methods: The study involved 49 patients, residents of Dnipro city, of working age (35,5±1,5 years), of whom 24 (49,0%) - women and 25 (51,0%) - men. All patients were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis with average disease duration of 9,2 ±1,1 year, who underwent allergy examination - skin tests - prick test with pollen and household allergens and/or methods of allergy component diagnosis ALEX. The number of pollen allergens in one patient was 4,6±0,4 on average. All patients received one course of pre-season ASIT allergen according to the express scheme. Patients in the main group (31 patients) received a combined ASIT with solutions of pollen and household allergens. 18 patients in the comparison group received ASIT only with pollen allergens. Clinical groups were homogeneous in age, sex, duration of the disease, as well as the average number of pollen allergens. Results: The obtained results and their analysis show that the use of allergen-specific combination immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis with combined sensitization to pollen allergens causes a more significant effect on the activation of the immune response, which was revealed by reduced relative to baseline lgE production by 41,9% (p<0,001) and an increase in lgG by 7,5% (p<0,05). The production of total serum in patients with allergic rhinitis before treatment and under the influence of ASIT was the opposite to the dynamics of lgG production. The positive results of immunological studies convincingly prove the benefits and effectiveness of allergen-specific combination immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis with combined sensitization to pollen and household allergens.


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