Study on specific desensitive treatment for Dermatophagodes pteronyssinus allergen in 33 patients (mean age: 33.73+/-10.98) with allergic rhinitis at Central Otorhinolaryngology Hospital from November 2003 to October 2004. After treatment, all of clinical symptoms were reduced. Common effects on clinical treatmen were excellent in 24.3%, good in 45.5%, moderate 15.1% and bad in 15.1%. Before treatment, 100% patients had positive nose stimulation test and by 6 months of treatment, the rate only was 9.1%. After treatment, total IgE level in serum was lower than before treatment and total IgG level in serum was increased in comparison with before treatment. Common results after treatment: excellent 24.2%, good 48.5%, moderatel18.2% and bad 9.1%
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Rhinitis ; Hypersensitivity ; Allergens

BACKGROUND: In vitro measurement of allergen-specific IgE has become an important part of allergy diagnoses. HYTEC 288 system (Hycor Biomedical Inc., USA), which was recently introduced in Korea, is a fully automated immunoassay for quantitative measurements of allergen-specific IgE. In this study, we compared the clinical utility of this in vitro allergy test with that of ImmunoCAP assay (ImmunoDiagnostics, Sweden). METHODS: To evaluate the reproducibility of HYTEC 288 system, 50 serum samples were tested in duplicate each for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (d1) and D. farinae (d2) specific IgE. To assess the agreement between ImmunoCAP and HYTEC 288 assays, 56 serum samples were tested for the other 21 allergen-specific IgE. RESULTS: No significant differences within the range of quantitative analysis were observed between HYTEC 288 and ImmunoCAP assays for d1 and d2 (P=0.65 and 0.55, respectively). The agreements of HYTEC allergen-specific IgE assay with ImmunoCAP within +/-1 class grade were 80% and 100% for d1 and d2, respectively. The correlation coefficients between HYTEC 288 and ImmunoCAP results within the range of quantitative analysis were overally 0.90, regardless of allergen, for d1 and d2 specific IgE, 0.91 and 0.98, respectively. Running times for the HYTEC 288 and Phardia 100 were 5.5 and 4.6 min per test, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hycor HYTEC 288 showed a favorable agreement with ImmunoCAP and can be used for fully automated quantitative measurements of allergen-specific IgE in the clinical laboratory.
Automation ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Diagnosis ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoassay ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Korea ; Running

The acaricidal activities of fourteen essential oils and fourteen of their major monoterpenoids were tested against house dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Five concentrations were used over two different time intervals 24 and 48 h under laboratory conditions. In general, it was noticed that the acaricidal effect based on LC(50) of either essential oils or monoterpenoids against the mite was time dependant. The LC(50) values were decreased by increasing of exposure time. Clove, matrecary, chenopodium, rosemary, eucalyptus and caraway oils were shown to have high activity. As for the monoterpenoids, cinnamaldehyde and chlorothymol were found to be the most effective followed by citronellol. This study suggests the use of the essential oils and their major constituents as ecofriendly biodegradable agents for the control of house dust mite, D. pteronyssinus.
Animals ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; drug effects ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology

BACKGROUND: In vivo and/or in vitro diagnostic tests to identify possible allergens have been conducted for patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in order to identify any predisposing factors and avoid unnecessary restrictions. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of ImmunoCAP(R) ISAC (ISAC) in CSU patients. METHODS: A total of 31 patients with CSU were tested by ISAC and Multiple Allergen Simultaneous Test enzyme immunoassays (MAST-EIA). A skin prick test (SPT) was performed for 17 out of 31 patients. The results of ISAC and MAST-EIA were evaluated based on the SPT results. RESULTS: For 17 patients, with SPT used as the reference standard, ISAC compared with MAST-EIA showed lower sensitivity (22.2% vs. 26.5%), higher specificity (100% vs. 95.7%), higher positive predictive value (100% vs. 52.9%), and lower negative predictive value (86.9% vs. 87.7%). The agreement rate was more favorable for ISAC than for MAST-EIA (87.3% vs. 85.1%; kappa=0.324 vs. 0.263). For 31 patients, the agreement rate between ISAC and MAST-EIA was 83.9% for both Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Correlation coefficients (Rho) between ISAC and MAST-EIA for each allergen were 0.690 and 0.675, respectively. CONCLUSION: For CSU patients, specificity, positive predictive value, and the agreement rate of ISAC were similar or superior to those of MAST-EIA. In addition, ISAC provides valuable information on the possible sensitization to different allergen sources by elucidating cross-reactive components. With careful clinical correlations in interpretation, ISAC can be a useful diagnostic tool to detect allergens in CSU patients.
Allergens ; Causality ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin* ; Urticaria*

PURPOSE: Skin prick test and determination of allergen-specific IgE antibodies in serum are methods commonly used to diagnose allergies. Several studies indicate that skin test and specific IgE have roughly the same diagnostic precision, although discrepancies exist. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of total serum IgE on the relation between skin prick test and allergen-specific IgE antibody. METHODS: We performed skin prick tests using 14 major inhalant allergens and measured total IgE and specific IgE for two major allergens [Dermatophagoides farinae(D.f.) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D.p.)] in serum of 230 children with atopic asthma. RESULTS: Positivity of skin prick test was 92.2% for D.f., 89.6% for D.p., and 22.6% for cockroach. Allergen/Histamine(A/H) ratio and allergen-specific IgE score showed a positive correlation for D.f.(r=0.39, P<0.01), and for D.p.(r=0.38, P<0.01). Total serum IgE and allergen-specific antibody score showed a positive correlation for D.f.(r=0.50, P<0.01), and for D.p.(r=0.53, P<0.01). There was no correlation between total serum IgE and A/H ratio on skin prick test for the two allergens. However, total serum IgE had the tendency to increase according to the number of positive allergens on skin prick test. At each level of A/H ratio for D.f. and D.p. on skin prick test, patients with high total IgE had higher antigen-specific IgE scores than patients with low total IgE. CONCLUSION: Our results show that the relationship between skin prick test and antigen-specific IgE was influenced by the level of serum total IgE. This indicates that the level of serum total IgE should be taken into account when skin prick test and allergen-specific IgE are compared.
Allergens ; Antibodies ; Asthma* ; Child* ; Cockroaches ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Skin Tests ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: Multiple Antigen Simultaneous Test (MAST)-immunoblot assay is a practical and economical test, which has been recently introduced nationwide. Authors investigated test efficiency of a MAST-immunoblot assay, Polycheck Allergy (PA). METHODS: A total of 3,153 patients were tested by PA and the results were compared with the results of ImmunoCAP and skin prick test (SPT) in 532 and 75 patients, respectively. The correlation with the lgE results measured by VIDAS was also analyzed. RESULTS: The agreements of PA with SPT were 87.8% in the Inhalant Panel and 89.3% in the Food Panel and the agreement of ImmunoCAP with SPT was 95.2%. The most common allergens giving positive reactions were Dermatophagoides farinae (46.2%) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (40.0%). SPT taken as a reference, PA compared with ImmunoCAP showed higher agreement (D. farinae, 76.0 vs. 70.7%; D. pteronyssinus, 76.0 vs. 74.4%), sensitivity (D. farinae, 72.7 vs. 68.2%; D. pteronyssinus, 75.0 vs. 71.2%) and specificity (D. farinae, 85.0 vs. 81.3%) except for the specificity for D. pteronyssinus (78.3 vs. 87.5%). The rate of allergen specific IgE positive patients was higher than that of negative patients when total IgE was over 100 kU/L. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the agreement, sensitivity and specificity of PA were similar to or better than those of the previously established test, ImmunoCAP. The allergen specific IgE results of PA were in correlation with total IgE. PA may be used for testing allergen specific IgE to diagnose and treat allergic diseases.
Allergens ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Multiple Antigen Simultaneous Test (MAST)-immunoblot assay is a practical and economical test, which has been recently introduced nationwide. Authors investigated test efficiency of a MAST-immunoblot assay, Polycheck Allergy (PA). METHODS: A total of 3,153 patients were tested by PA and the results were compared with the results of ImmunoCAP and skin prick test (SPT) in 532 and 75 patients, respectively. The correlation with the lgE results measured by VIDAS was also analyzed. RESULTS: The agreements of PA with SPT were 87.8% in the Inhalant Panel and 89.3% in the Food Panel and the agreement of ImmunoCAP with SPT was 95.2%. The most common allergens giving positive reactions were Dermatophagoides farinae (46.2%) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (40.0%). SPT taken as a reference, PA compared with ImmunoCAP showed higher agreement (D. farinae, 76.0 vs. 70.7%; D. pteronyssinus, 76.0 vs. 74.4%), sensitivity (D. farinae, 72.7 vs. 68.2%; D. pteronyssinus, 75.0 vs. 71.2%) and specificity (D. farinae, 85.0 vs. 81.3%) except for the specificity for D. pteronyssinus (78.3 vs. 87.5%). The rate of allergen specific IgE positive patients was higher than that of negative patients when total IgE was over 100 kU/L. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the agreement, sensitivity and specificity of PA were similar to or better than those of the previously established test, ImmunoCAP. The allergen specific IgE results of PA were in correlation with total IgE. PA may be used for testing allergen specific IgE to diagnose and treat allergic diseases.
Allergens ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

Among the several possible etiologic factors for the development of nasal polyp, localized nasal allergy had been insisted to be one of the major factors. This study aims to explore the existence of local production of IgE within nasal polyp, which can be the indirect evidence of localized nasal allergy. Fifty-two patients, who underwent nasal polypectomies between April 1993 and December 1995, were selected. The levels of total IgE and specific IgE of serum and polyp fluids were assessed. By using Donovan's equation, the percentage of local production of IgE in nasal polyp were calculated. Local production of total IgE was demonstrated in 18 cases of 28 polyp patient group (64.3%). Local production of specific IgE for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae were demonstrated in 6 cases of 24 polyp patient group (25%). These results suggest the existence of local production of IgE in nasal polyp.
Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Nasal Polyps* ; Polyps

OBJECTIVETo investigate the short and long term efficacy of a commercial air ionizer in killing Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus) and Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae) mites.

METHODSThe effect of a commercial ionizer on D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae was evaluated in the laboratory, using a specially designed test. Mortality was assessed after 6, 16 and 24 hours for direct exposure and after 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 hours for exposure in simulated mattress. New batches of mites were used for each exposure time.

RESULTSLT50 for direct exposure of ionizer was 10 hours for D. pteronyssinus and 18 hours for D. farinae. The LT50 for exposure in simulated mattress was 132 hours or 5.5 days for D. pteronyssinus and 72 hours or 3 days for D. farinae. LT95 for direct exposure of ionizer was 36 hours for D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae. Meanwhile, the LT95 for exposure in simulated mattress was 956 hours or 39.8 days for D. pteronyssinus and 403 hours or 16.8 days for D. farinae.

CONCLUSIONSThis study demonstrates the increasing mite mortalities with increasing exposure time of a commercial ionizer and suggests that negative ions produced by an ionizer kill dust mites and can be used to reduce natural mite populations on exposed surfaces such as floors, clothes, curtains, etc. However, there is reduced efficacy on mites inside stuffed materials as in mattresses and furniture.

PURPOSE: Component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) is expected to provide additional diagnostic information in allergic patients. PROTIA™ Allergy-Q 64 Atopy®, a recently developed CRD-based multiplex specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) assay, can quantitatively measure sIgE to major allergen components. METHODS: The sIgE detection by PROTIA™ Allergy-Q 64 Atopy® and ImmunoCAP® assays was compared using the sera of 125 Korean allergic patients. Group 1 and 2 allergens of house dust mites (HDMs; Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) 1 and Der f 2 in PROTIA™ Allergy-Q 64 Atopy®, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) 1 and Der p 2 in ImmunoCAP®), Bet v 1, Fel d 1, Que a 1, ω-5 gliadin, α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, casein and α-Gal were measured by both assays. RESULTS: Comparing the results from the 2 assays, the agreement rate for all the 10 allergens was > 88% (group 1 HDM allergen, 100%; group 2 HDM allergen, 94.6%; Bet v 1, 97.4%; Fel d 1, 90.5%; Que a 1, 89.2%; α-lactalbumin, 96%; β-lactoglobulin, 88%; casein, 88%; ω-5 gliadin, 96%; α-Gal, 100%). Correlation analysis indicated that, all the 10 allergen sIgEs showed more than moderate positive correlation (Pearson correlation coefficients > 0.640). Additionally, intra-class comparison showed more than high correlation for all the 10 allergens (Spearman's rank correlation coefficients > 0.743). CONCLUSIONS: PROTIA™ Allergy-Q 64 Atopy® is reliable and comparable to the ImmunoCAP® assay for component-resolved diagnosis.
Allergens ; Caseins ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Diagnosis ; Gliadin ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Pyroglyphidae