Microarray based IgE detection in poly-sensitized allergic patients with suspected food allergy - an approach in four clinical cases.

BACKGROUND

Component-resolved diagnosis and microarray technology have been recently introduced into clinical allergy practice, and may be particularly useful in poly-sensitized allergic patients.

METHODS

We compare the clinical usefulness of a microarray-based IgE detection assay (ISAC(®)) with skin tests and specific IgE with standard allergens (sIgE) or their monocomponents in four case reports of patients poly-sensitized to aeroallergens and food.

RESULTS

Case 1: a woman with rhinitis, oral allergy syndrome to several fruits and anaphylaxis to cherry. Diagnostic tests supported non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) primary sensitization. Case 2: a woman with exercise-induced asthma, rhino-conjunctivitis and oral allergy syndrome to fresh fruits of different families. A diagnosis of primary grass and weed pollen allergy with profilin and pathogenesis-related protein family 10 (PR-10) cross-reactive food allergy was proposed. Case 3: a man with atopic eczema, asthma, rhinitis, and multiple anaphylactic episodes with cashew nuts and oral allergy syndrome to fruits. The diagnostic workup supported a primary birch pollen allergy with PR-10 and nsLTPs cross-reactive food allergy. Case 4: a woman with rhino-conjunctivitis, per-operative anaphylaxis due to latex and recent pharyngeal angio-oedema episodes. The diagnosis was a primary grass and weed pollen allergy with equivocal profilin sensitization and no obvious cross-reactivity mediated by nsLTPs sensitization.

CONCLUSIONS

The possibility to carry out multiple sIgE measurements with single protein allergens, in particular with the microarray technique, is a useful, simple and non-invasive diagnostic tool in complex poly-sensitized allergic patients.