Purpose:
To evaluate whether ImmnoCAP Rapid™, a new commercial immunochromatographic test for measurement of specific IgE, could be used as a screening test for the diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis.
Methods:
A prospective, nonrandomized, cross-sectional study was conducted in 34 moderate to severe cases of allergic conjunctivitis (allergic group) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (control group). Specific IgE levels for cedar pollen, ragweed, mugwort, and orchard grass, cat epithelium and dander, dog dander, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and cockroach were measured in tear fluid with the ImmnoCAP Rapid.
Results:
Specific IgE levels in tear fluid could be assayed within 20 minutes in all subjects. The positive rate of specific IgE was higher in the allergic group than in the control group (cedar pollen,100.0% vs. 3.3%; D. pteronyssinus, 97.1% vs. 3.3%; orchard grass, 88.2% vs. 3.3%; mugwort, 32.4% vs. 0.0%; ragweed 29.4% vs. 0.0%; cat epithelium, 14.7% vs. 0.0%; cockroach, 8.6% vs. 0.0%; and cat epithelium, 23.4% vs. 0.0%).
Conclusions:
These results suggest that ImmnoCAP Rapid is a rapid and easy test for detection of allergen-specific IgE in tear fluid samples from patients with allergic conjunctivitis.
Keywords: anterior segment • conjunctivitis