Comparison of a new specific IgE assay Quidel allergy screen to skin prick test, intradermal test, and RAST]

Quidel Allergy Screen (QAS), an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, has been developed for measuring IgE antibodies against 9 allergens (HD 1, HD 2, Mite 1, Mite 2, Japanese cedar, ragweed, cat dander, sweet vernal grass, and egg white) at the same time. To determine whether this assay is useful in screening allergen-specific IgE antibody, we compared the titers of IgE antibodies against the 9 allergens measured by QAS to the obtained in skin prick tests, in intradermal tests and by RAST in 93 atopic asthmatics and 25 normal subjects. We found a good agreement between the reactivity of skin prick tests and the reactivity of QAS. There was a significant correlation between the threshold doses of intradermal tests and the titers of QAS. We also found a good agreement between the reactivity of RAST and the reactivity of QAS, and a strong correlation between the titers of RAST and the titers of QAS. Thus, it is concluded that QAS is useful in screening IgE antibodies against multiple allergens simultaneously.