Specific IgE Immunoassay for House Dust Mites by Using Multiple Allergen Simultaneous Test (MAST) in Asthmatic Children

Abstract

Background: house dust mites are considered as a major cause of bronchial asthma in young children. Inhalation of dust mite allergens by hypersensitive individuals can result in acute attacks of bronchial asthma. Multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST) for the detection of specific IgE of different allergens is one of the important diagnostic tools for bronchial asthma. Patients and Methods: the study group consisted of forty children suffering from bronchial asthma selected from the outpatient clinic of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, New Damietta, Egypt as well as another normal forty healthy volunteer children were selected as controls. Total IgE immunoassay and quantitative measurement of allergen specific IgE (Biocheck GmbH, Germany) were estimated for all of them. Results: it was found that, out of 27 positive IgE subjects, 20 were positive by poly-check test providing sensitivity of 74.1%; and out of 53 negative IgE subjects, 50 were negative, providing specificity of 94.3%. Conclusion: Poly-check (MAST), in vitro tests can be used in screening for allergens in asthmatic children with high specificity.