Allergen diagnosis strategy: An experimental application of different methods in Guangzhou, Southern China

Abstract

Different methods have different diagnostic value under diverse clinical conditions. This study was conducted to analyze the clinical practical value of different assays in different situations and to establish the concept of an allergen diagnosis strategy. This study used Phadia CAP, Advan Sure (AdvS), Euroline Camera (ELC), and Allergy Lateral Flow Assay (ALFA) kits to detect allergen specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) in the sera from 30 allergic asthma patients, with Phadia CAP as the gold standard. This study found high sensitivity for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in AdvS (92.6%), ELC (88.9%), and ALFA (85.2%), but poor sensitivity for F. domesticus in all three assays. Furthermore, the AdvS, ELC, and ALFA assays could detect 20, 21, and 8 allergens in one panel, respectively. The combination of the results showed that 93.3% and 46.7% of patients tested positive for ≥5 and ≥10 types of allergens, respectively. All patients who were tested positive for the Marine fish mixture were positive for both Shrimp and Crab. Similarly, patients who were tested positive for Chicken also tested positive for Pork. Optimal scale analysis showed a strong connection between Peanut, Soybean, Wheat, Japanese Hop, Western ragweed, and Oak allergens (Cronbach’s α = 91.1%). The ELC assay was more suitable for use in pollen-rich areas, whereas the ALFA assay was easy to establish in areas with poor medical conditions. An allergen diagnosis strategy needs to be considered for use in clinical practice.