COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF THE BEHRING ALA STAT AND PHARMACIA CAP RASTTESTS FOR THE DETECTION OF LATEX IGE

The diagnostic of latex allergy is-usually based on prick tests using commercial extracts, thin latex material (surgical gloves) or latex em ulsion. The absence of standardisation of these extracts makes in vitr o measurement of latex IgE essential. The aim of this study is to comp are two methods of IgE determination: AlaSTAT (Behring) and CAP PAST ( Pharmacia). Selected patients were divided to two groups. a control gr oup (I) and a group of subjects suspected for latex allergy (II). The results were well correlated in group (I). In group (II), the correlat ion was correct for 11 out of 20 cases. In 7 cases the results were on e class higher with AlaSTAT. Fdr 2 subjects; the disparity was greater than 2 classes. Prick tests are in favor of a real latex allergy and the western blots revealed the presence of latex IgE. In conclusion, t he two tests-are well correlated, but AlaSTAT provides a better sensit ivity.