FOOD ALLERGY AND CHRONIC URTICARIA - THE VALUE AND LIMITS OF IN-VITROTESTING FOR IGE ANTIBODIES SPECIFIC FOR FOOD ALLERGENS

Objective: The intent of this study is to evaluate chronic urticaria p atients in view of the observation that multiple food allergies could be a causative factor. The CAP Radioallergosorbent (RAST) Fluoroimmuno assay (FEIA) test will be utilized for measuring specific IgE antibodi es. The value, interpretation and limits of the test, being a new sens itive assay, will be evaluated. Design: Patients suffering from chroni c urticaria, who gave clinical history suspecting foods as causing the ir complaints, were selected, for this investigation. Subjects: The st udy included 112 patients suffering from chronic urticaria. The sex di stribution was 61 female and 51 male. Their ages ranged between 19 to 65 years. Serum samples were obtained and tested against the suspected food allergens. These included 16 foods which consited of egg (white) , egg (yolk), milk, fish, meat, peanut, wheat, tomato, strawberry, cac ao, chicken meat, shrimp, cheese, yeast, banana and orange. Results: S pecific IgE antibodies, to one or more food, were detected in 42 (37.5 %) of the patients. These included reactions in all CAP PAST classes, class 1 to class 4. Out of these, only six patients (5.4%) showed mult iple food allergies with significant CAP PAST values. These were furth er evaluated for possible food allergy. Conclusion: Detection of IgE a ntibodies, specific for food allergens, is worthwhile in chronic urtic aria patients who suspect foods as causing their complaints. As the as say is sensitive, results should be interpreted carefully. Because the test is expensive and the yield is low, the panel of food allergens, selected for testing, should be limited to the minimum possible number .