실내환경 주요 호흡기 알레르기 항원 감작검사를 위한 피부단자시 험과 혈청 ELISA시험의 상관성에 대한 연구

Correlation Between Skin Prick Test and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay Using Serum for Identification of Subjects Positive to Major Indoor Respiratory Allergens

The indoor environment is an important source of exposure to various aeroallergens and pathogenic microorganism. It has been shown that exposure to aeroallergens enhances the risk of indoor inhabitants developing asthma. Since skin prick test, a typical clinical method for identification of subjects positive to allergens, could rarely cause fatal or non-fatal reactions in susceptible persons, in vitro assay such as ELISA using serum has been considered for testing positivity against various allergens. We evaluated validity of a serum ELISA kit for screening positive subjects to major aeroallergens including Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cockroach, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, dog hair, cat fur, mugwort, and ragweed. Their results were compared with skin prick test results, and sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy were calculated to each allergen. The rather higher sensitivities were obtained from D. farinae, (77.8%) and D. pteronyssinus (69.2%), but sensitivities to Aspergillus, Penicillium, dog hair, cat fur, and ragweed were very low to 0%. Specificity was ranged from 88.7% (cat fur) to 100% (mugwort and ragweed). Overall accuracy of the serum ELISA kit was relatively higher, in that the lowest was 85.1% for cat fur and the highest was 98.6% for Alternaria, Cladosporium, and ragweed. Considering specificity and overall accuracy for the serum ELISA kit, it may be considered reliable. But, when the kit is used for screening purpose, positivity to aeroallergens should be carefully determined since sensitivity for the kit is low. The indoor environment is an important source of exposure to various aeroallergens and pathogenic microorganism. It has been shown that exposure to aeroallergens enhances the risk of indoor inhabitants developing asthma. Since skin prick test, a typical clinical method for identification of subjects positive to allergens, could rarely cause fatal or non-fatal reactions in susceptible persons, in vitro assay such as ELISA using serum has been considered for testing positivity against various allergens. We evaluated validity of a serum ELISA kit for screening positive subjects to major aeroallergens including Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cockroach, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, dog hair, cat fur, mugwort, and ragweed. Their results were compared with skin prick test results, and sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy were calculated to each allergen. The rather higher sensitivities were obtained from D. farinae, (77.8%) and D. pteronyssinus (69.2%), but sensitivities to Aspergillus, Penicillium, dog hair, cat fur, and ragweed were very low to 0%. Specificity was ranged from 88.7% (cat fur) to 100% (mugwort and ragweed). Overall accuracy of the serum ELISA kit was relatively higher, in that the lowest was 85.1% for cat fur and the highest was 98.6% for Alternaria, Cladosporium, and ragweed. Considering specificity and overall accuracy for the serum ELISA kit, it may be considered reliable. But, when the kit is used for screening purpose, positivity to aeroallergens should be carefully determined since sensitivity for the kit is low.