Clinical Relevance of Specific IgE Antibodies to Component Allergens in Adult Meat Allergy

Abstract

Background:Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and swine serum albumin (SSA) have been known as major allergens in beef and pork allergies. The aims of this study were to assess the diagnostic values of specific IgE antibodies to BSA and SSA and to evaluate predictive values for cross-reactivities in patients with adult meat allergy. Methods:Twenty-one adult patients with meat allergy and 15 healthy controls were enrolled for this study. Serum specific IgE to beef, pork, milk, BSA and SSA was measured by using immunoCAP (Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden). Patients were divided into 3 groups: those sensitive to beef (group I, n=4), those sensitive to pork (group II, n=10), and those sensitive to beef and pork (group III, n=7). Results:There were no significant differences in sex and manifestations to meat between the 3 groups, whereas age was significantly lower and the total IgE level was significantly higher in group III. The serum levels of specific IgE to BSA and SSA were significantly higher in the 3 groups than in the control group. The sensitivities of specific IgE levels to BSA and SSA, as assessed using receiver operating characteristic analysis, were 36.4% and 52.9%, with specificities being 100% for each. Conslusion:The results of this study suggest that the levels of specific IgE to BSA and SSA may have low sensitivities for the diagnosis of meat allergy and the evaluation of cross-reactivities between meat allergens.