IgE-mediated reactions to latex are frequent (2.8 - 10.7%) among health car
e population working with clinical equipment. Cross-reactivity of this alle
rgen with some kind of fruits (banana, chestnut, kiwi, etc.) has been prove
n. In this work, the antigen-specific in vitro sulphidoleukotriene release
in patients with allergy to latex is studied. Ten patients with allergy to
latex were selected. Eight pollen allergic patients were included as atopic
controls, and 12 subjects with no pathology as healthy controls. We used t
wo latex extracts, one prepared in our laboratory (by means of PBS extracti
on) and another one supplied by Ifidesa-Aristegui (Bilbao, Spain). We found
no significant differences between both extracts regarding their behaviour
in skin tests (intradermal and prick), and antigen-dependent sulphidoleuko
triene (sLT) production (CAST). The group of patients with allergy to latex
showed an antigen-specific sulphidoleukotriene production significantly hi
gher than the healthy controls (p < 0.0001) and pollen-allergic controls (p
< 0.0001). The differences observed regarding antigen-specific histamine r
elease between patients and both control groups were also significant (p <
0.0001). Moreover, significant differences were also found in antigen-speci
fic sLT production and antigen-specific histamine release between the group
of healthy controls and the group of pollen allergic controls (p < 0.05).
A positive and significant correlation was observed (r = 0.84, p < 0.001) b
etween antigen-specific sLT production and antigen-specific histamine relea
se. A positive and significant correlation was also found between sLT produ
ction and intradermal test (r = 0.41, p < 0.05), between sLT production and
prick test (r = 0.59, p < 0.001), and between sLT production and prick-pri
ck test (r = 0.76, p < 0.001). Through the results obtained, we consider th
at antigen-specific sLT determination is a useful technique for the diagnos
is of allergy to latex.