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New total tear IgE test proves effective for diagnosing allergic conjunctivitis
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A new commercial test for total tear immunoglobulin E showed reliability, sensitivity, and specificity in detecting seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, a study found.
“Our results … showed a good correlation between the total tear IgE level and the serum total or specific IgE levels, suggesting that the immunochromatographic measurement of tear IgE can provide important information about local allergic inflammation that adds to the conventional serological diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis,” the study authors said.
The prospective, nonrandomized, cross-sectional study included 35 consecutive patients with acute seasonal allergic conjunctivitis; an age- and sex-matched control group of 30 healthy, nonsmoking volunteers with no history of allergic disease; and eight patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.
Total tear immunoglobulin E (IgE) score was determined with a test based on immunochromatography (Allerwatch). Serum total IgE for 12 inhaled allergens was determined with the Phadezym PRIST kit (Pharmacia); specific IgE levels were measured with the CAP-RAST system (Pharmacia).
The immunochromatographic test measured total tear IgE levels within 15 minutes, significantly faster than the standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent test, making it useful as a rapid, point-of-care test for distinguishing between allergic and infectious conjunctivitis, the authors said.