Laboratorial characteristics of patients with diarrhoea suffering from egg white allergy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Egg allergy is associated with diarrhoeal symptoms. However, the mechanism underlying allergic diarrhoea remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether egg white-specific IgE antibodies coexist with egg white-specific IgG antibodies in patients with egg allergy featuring diarrhoeal symptoms, and whether there is any relationship between these two antibody types.

METHODS:

A total of 89 patients with egg allergy featuring diarrhoeal symptoms (average age, 23.2 years; range, 1-78 years), all of whom tested positive for egg white-specific IgG, were enrolled in this study. The concentration of total IgE, egg white-specific IgE and number of eosinophils in the serum were determined.

RESULTS:

Among the 89 egg white allergic patients tested, 49 (55.1%) patients showed high reactivity to egg white-specific IgG, 48 (53.9%) patients had elevated serum total IgE levels, and 25 (28.1%) patients had elevated absolute eosinophil numbers. Out of the 89 egg white allergic patients, 25 showed elevated egg white-specific IgE antibody levels. Of the 25 patients who were positive for egg white-specific IgE antibody, 21 presented high sensitive reaction to egg white-specific IgG, three presented moderate sensitive reaction to egg white-specific IgG, and one presented mild sensitive reaction to egg white-specific IgG. A moderate correlation between egg white-specific IgG and egg white-specific IgE, egg white-specific IgG and absolute eosinophil number was found in the egg white allergic patients (r=0.438, P=0.000; r=0.322, P=0.002). Egg white-specific IgE levels varied in different age groups; the egg white-specific IgE concentration of younger patients (age≤18 years, mean rank 54.29) was significantly higher than that of the adult patients (age>18 years, mean rank 34.61) (Z=-3.629, P=0.000).

CONCLUSION:

Egg white-specific IgE antibody could coexist with egg white-specific IgG antibody in patients suffering from egg white allergy. Aberrant changes in the concentration of egg white-specific IgE antibody were associated with the presence of egg white-specific IgG antibody.

• Authors: F Liu, L-R Lin, H-L Zhang, G-L Liu, M-L Tong, Y-L Zeng, S-J Huang, C-L Huang, L-L Liu, T-C Yang
• Journal: Allergologia et immunopathologia (Allergol Immunopathol (Madr)) 2014 May-Jun Vol. 42 Issue 3 Pg. 180-5 ISSN: 1578-1267 [Electronic] Singapore
• PMID: 23850121 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Allergens
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin E
• Ovalbumin

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Age Factors
• Aged
• Allergens (adverse effects, immunology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Diarrhea (complications, immunology)
• Egg Hypersensitivity (complications, immunology)
• Egg White (adverse effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin E (blood)
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Infant
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Ovalbumin (immunology)
• Young Adult