EVALUATION OF A NEW SEMIQUANTITATIVE IMMUNODOT ASSAY FOR THE SCREENING OF SPECIFIC IGE

The Immunodot CMG is a new, simple assay for the semiquantitative scre ening of specific IgE. It does not necessitate any particular equipmen t. ft consists of two nitrocellulose strips on which either five indoo r or five outdoor allergens are bound. In the present evaluation, 82 s erum samples from allergic patients were tested with the first strip a nd 101 with the second. The results were compared with those obtained with the CAP System(R) (Kabi Pharmacia). A version using undiluted ser um and a short incubation time (short version) appeared to be more sen sitive than a long version using serum diluted 1:5. In most cases, the results agreed with those of the CAP System(R). Discordant results we re found in 2-9% of the cases according to the allergen, and were most often negative with Immunodot CMG and positive with the CAP System(R) , indicating a slightly lower sensitivity for the new test. When compa red to the CAP System(R), the Immunodot CMG showed a sensitivity of 84 .5% and a specificity of 94%. Readings were found to be reproducible a nd easy to perform with the naked eye. Our results showed that the Imm unodot CMG test is comparable to the CAP System(R), which is slightly more sensitive but requires much more elaborate and expensive equipmen t.