PMID- 15969684
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20051208
LR  - 20231213
IS  - 0105-4538 (Print)
IS  - 0105-4538 (Linking)
VI  - 60
IP  - 8
DP  - 2005 Aug
TI  - Utility of the ratio of food-specific IgE/total IgE in predicting symptomatic 
      food allergy in children.
PG  - 1034-9
AB  - BACKGROUND: Double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges are time-consuming, 
      expensive and not without risk to patients. Therefore, an in vitro test that 
      could accurately diagnose food allergy would be of great value. OBJECTIVE: To 
      evaluate the utility of the ratio of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE)/total IgE 
      compared with specific IgE (sIgE) alone in predicting symptomatic food allergy. 
      METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 992 controlled oral food challenges 
      performed in 501 children (median age 13 months). The ratio of sIgE/total IgE was 
      calculated and tested for correlation with the outcome of food challenges. 
      Receiver operator characteristics (ROC)-curves were performed; predicted 
      probabilities and predictive decision points were calculated. RESULTS: A 
      significant correlation was found between the ratio and the outcome of food 
      challenges for cow's milk (CM), hen's egg (HE), and wheat, but not for soy. The 
      ROC and predicted probability curves as well as sensitivity and specificity of 
      the decision points of the ratio were similar to those of sIgE levels for CM, HE 
      and wheat. CONCLUSION: In view of the greater effort needed to determine the 
      ratio, without benefit compared with the sIgE alone, the calculation of the ratio 
      of sIgE/total IgE for diagnosing symptomatic food allergy offers no advantage for 
      CM, HE, wheat or soy. For the majority of cases controlled oral food challenges 
      still remain the method of choice.
FAU - Mehl, A
AU  - Mehl A
AD  - Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, University Children's Hospital 
      Charite of Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
FAU - Verstege, A
AU  - Verstege A
FAU - Staden, U
AU  - Staden U
FAU - Kulig, M
AU  - Kulig M
FAU - Nocon, M
AU  - Nocon M
FAU - Beyer, K
AU  - Beyer K
FAU - Niggemann, B
AU  - Niggemann B
LA  - eng
PT  - Comparative Study
PT  - Evaluation Study
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - Denmark
TA  - Allergy
JT  - Allergy
JID - 7804028
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Animals
MH  - Antibody Specificity
MH  - Child
MH  - Child, Preschool
MH  - Eggs/*adverse effects
MH  - Female
MH  - Food Hypersensitivity/*blood/*diagnosis/etiology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/immunology/*metabolism
MH  - Infant
MH  - Male
MH  - Milk/*adverse effects/immunology
MH  - Predictive Value of Tests
MH  - ROC Curve
MH  - Retrospective Studies
MH  - Sensitivity and Specificity
MH  - Glycine max/adverse effects
MH  - Triticum/*adverse effects/immunology
EDAT- 2005/06/23 09:00
MHDA- 2005/12/13 09:00
CRDT- 2005/06/23 09:00
PHST- 2005/06/23 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2005/12/13 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2005/06/23 09:00 [entrez]
AID - ALL806 [pii]
AID - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00806.x [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Allergy. 2005 Aug;60(8):1034-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00806.x.