Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Latex Allergy

ABSTRACTBackgroundScreening patients for latex allergy prior to surgery is an important but intensive procedure. The appropriate testing strategy for diagnosing latex (Hevea brasiliensis) allergy involves in-vitro specific IgE or skin prick testing. The sensitivity and specificity of both tests are influenced by patient-specific factors or manufacturing processes that alter the clinically relevant allergens in skin testing solutions.MethodsTotal IgE and latex-specific IgE testing was introduced as a screening test. Skin prick testing was done on patients with a high probability of latex allergy and negative specific IgE with total IgE < 100 kU/L. SDS-PAGE was done on the non-ammoniated latex (NAL) and newly introduced ammoniated latex (AL) reagents for the clinically relevant allergens.Results51 patients had a total IgE < 100 (range, 2.8-99.0 kU/L), and 10% had a positive skin test. 60% of positive skin tests would have been missed with lower total IgE cut-offs of 50 kU/L (6% of referrals). SDS-PAGE of the NAL solution showed 3 prominent bands with molecular weights of approximately 20, 24 and 42 kDa that correlated with Hev b 6, Hev b 3 and Hev b 7/13, respectively. In contrast, the AL solution showed 3 very faint higher molecular weights bands that did not correlate with clinically relevant antigens.ConclusionsIncreasing the cut-off value of total IgE for allergen-specific IgE testing increased the sensitivity of the specific IgE test. The NAL reagent had a greater number of clinically significant allergens at higher concentrations than AL, which may have implications for the clinical sensitivity of the newer AL reagent.