Assessment of allergen-specific IgE by immunoblotting method in atopic dermatitis.

Summary Background and Objectives. Stimulating the immune system by exposure to various allergens to produce specific IgE has a significant role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. Identifying disease-causing allergens, prevention of exposure to those allergens, and immunotherapy will play an important role in the treatment of Atopic Disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the common allergens of northwest of Iran in patients with atopic dermatitis that are resistant to treatment. Materials and methods. In this descriptive-analytical study, serum levels of total IgE and frequency of specific IgE were measured by Immunoblotting against 20 common allergens in 150 cases of patients with atopic dermatitis, attending to dermatology and asthma and allergy clinics from 2010 to 2011. The control group consisted of individuals who had been clinically healthy. Results. In the 90% of patients that were included in this study, total IgE levels were higher than in healthy people with mean serum levels of total IgE 227.51 ± 103 IU/ml. 136 patients (90.6%) had specific IgE for at least one allergen. The frequency of positive allergens among the patients who were included in this study were 53.34%, 26.8%, and 19.56% respectively in plants and fungus allergens group, animal allergens group and food allergens group. After avoiding of the allergens (which they had been sensitized to), 60% of patients were cured with immune therapy, and total IgE serum levels in the control group were not increased. Conclusion. Identifying the abundant allergens such as cultivated rye, Timothy grass, house dust mite, birch, cat, horse, potato, dog, egg white, cow milk, in order to advise patients to avoid them or to do immunotherapy and desensitization, is useful in this area.