The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jan 1996
The relationship between RAST and skin test results in patients with asthma or rhinitis: a quantitative study with purified major allergens.
Study of the relationship between skin test results and IgE antibody levels is seriously hampered by the use of conventional allergen extracts because the precise amount of relevant allergen for each patient is unknown. ⋯ The major allergens tested show similar biologic activities. In addition to IgE antibody level, total serum IgE and type of IgE antibody response contribute significantly to the skin test threshold for allergens. Even in a system with purified allergens, IgE antibody levels and skin test results are not interchangeable as an indicator of the degree of allergic sensitization.