[Measurement of total IgE in sera from normal subjects and allergic patients by chemiluminescent immunoassay]

Abstract

We measured the total IgE in sera from normal and allergic subjects by using the "Magic Lite Total IgE High Sensitivity" chemiluminescent immunoassay kit. The accuracy precision and correlation with RIST of this kit were sufficient to use it for clinical diagnosis. The analytical sensitivity was 0.075 IU/ml, and this kit was sensitive enough to measure total IgE in cord blood. The mean and SD of total IgE measured in the sera of 115 cases of the normal subjects was 72.3 +/- 83.7 IU/ml, and the 95% confidence level of those values was 280 IU/ml. Thus the cutoff value of the total IgE appeared to be 250-300 IU/ml. The total IgE values measured in the sera of the bronchial asthma group and the allergic rhinitis group were significantly higher than those of the normal subjects. RAST scores to house dust and house dust mites correlated with the total IgE values in the sera. The values of total IgE measured in the cord blood group ranged from 0.075 IU/ml (limit of the sensitivity) to 10.09 IU/ml, and the geometric mean was 0.295 IU/ml. Ten % of the cord blood samples showed IgE values of more than 1 IU/ml. As a method of measuring total IgE in cord blood, this kit would appear, from our results, to be useful for the detection of atopic factors in the early stages of life.