Clinical Evaluation of Allergen Component-specific IgE Testing for Diagnosing with Soybean and Fruit Allergies

Abstract

　Objective: We investigated the clinical utility of measuring allergen component-specific IgE antibodies for diagnosing fruit and soybean allergies. Method: The levels of IgE antibodies that were specific to crude extracts or purified allergen components from kiwi fruit, apples, peaches, or soybeans were measured in patients that had been diagnosed with food allergies to kiwi fruit (n=25) , apples (n=23) , peaches (n=27) , or soybeans (n=13) . Results: Most patients were diagnosed with pollen-food allergy syndrome. The sensitivities of the IgE antibodies specific to the purified fruit allergen components (Act d 8, Mal d 1, Pru p 1) were higher than those of the IgE antibodies to the individual crude extracts. Mal d 1 exhibited particularly high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. In the patients with soybean allergy, the sensitivity of Gly m 4-specific IgE antibodies was much higher than that of IgE antibodies specific to the crude soybean extract.

　Conclusions: The measurement of the levels of IgE antibodies specific to purified allergen components or crude extracts is of significant benefit for the diagnosis of food allergies.