Abstract
Background: DropScreen ST-1® is a new onsite simultaneous measurement of specific IgE antibodies for multiple allergens using a small amount of blood and has been clinically utilized since 2020. We compared it with ImmunoCap® which is conventionally performed for each single allergen and investigated the usefulness for pediatric allergy.
Method: Using serum from 244 people who visited an allergy outpatient clinic, specific IgE antibodies were measured using DropScreen ST-1® and the concordance rate with ImmunoCap® was evaluated, targeting 244 people (under 3 years old). We performed cluster analysis using the Co-Clustering method.
Results: The positive concordance rate, negative concordance rate, and judgment concordance rate between DropScreen ST-1® and ImmunoCap® were 93.5%, 93.0%, and 89.3%, respectively. In the cluster analysis, with a high Fisher exact probability, it was possible to classify it into 9 clusters on the allergen axis and 5 clusters on the patient axis. Allergens such as egg white, ovomucoid, milk, and mites were found to form characteristic clusters. On the patient axis, the group was classified from those who were highly sensitized to various allergens to those who were highly sensitized to specific allergens.
Conclusion: DropScreen ST-1® and ImmunoCap® showed a high correlation. Cluster analysis of sensitization patterns has become possible through a specific IgE test that measures multiple items simultaneously.
