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A comparison between two different in vitro basophil activation tests for gluten- and cow’s milk protein sensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like patients

  • Antonio Carroccio , Ignazio Brusca , Pasquale Mansueto EMAIL logo , Alberto D’alcamo , Maria Barrale , Maurizio Soresi , Aurelio Seidita , Stella M. La Chiusa , Giuseppe Iacono and Delia Sprini
Published/Copyright: November 23, 2012
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Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM)
From the journal Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) Volume 51 Issue 6

Abstract

Background: The diagnosis of food hypersensitivity (FH) in adult patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, beyond the immediate IgE-mediated clinical manifestations, is very often difficult. The aims of our study were to: 1) evaluate the frequency of FH in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like clinical presentation; and 2) compare the diagnostic accuracy of two different methods of in vitro basophil activation tests.

Methods: Three hundred and five patients (235 females, age range 18–66 years) were included and underwent a diagnostic elimination diet and successive double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) challenges. Two different methods of in vitro basophil activation tests (BAT) (CD63 expression after in vitro wheat or cow’s milk proteins stimulation) were evaluated: one was performed on separated leukocytes, and the other on whole blood.

Results: Ninety patients of the 305 studied (29.5%) were positive to the challenges and were diagnosed as suffering from FH. BAT on separate leukocytes showed a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 91% in FH diagnosis. BAT on whole blood showed a sensitivity of 15%–20% and a specificity of 73% in FH diagnosis (p<0.0001 compared to the other method).

Conclusions: About one third of the IBS patients included in the study were suffering from FH and were cured on the elimination diet. The BAT based on CD63 detection on whole blood samples did not work in FH diagnosis and showed a significantly lower sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy than the assay based on separated leukocytes.

Keywords: basophils activation test; cytofluorimetry; food hypersensitivity; gluten sensitivity; irritable bowel syndrome
Corresponding author: Dott. Pasquale Mansueto, MD, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialist (DIMIS), Via del Vespro 129, 90129 Palermo, Italy, Phone: +39 091 6554337

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Received: 2012-09-14
Accepted: 2012-10-16
Published Online: 2012-11-23
Published in Print: 2013-06-01

©2013 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

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https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2012-0609
Keywords for this article
basophils activation test; cytofluorimetry; food hypersensitivity; gluten sensitivity; irritable bowel syndrome

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Letters to the Editor
  2. Evaluation of a novel room temperature RNA storage tube for use in a real-time quantitative PCR assay
  3. Evaluation of the Universal Master Mix (STAT-NAT DNA-Mix) for reliable molecular testing
  4. HbA1c: performance of the Sebia Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing
  5. A case of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS): type IgD-lambda
  6. Evidence-based use of serum protein electrophoresis in laboratory medicine
  7. Plasma volume shifts during multiday racing
  8. Structured handoff at shift change in a clinical laboratory increases patient safety
  9. Instrument-dependent interference of Howell-Jolly bodies in reticulocyte enumeration
  10. Reply to Gore et al.: Plasma volume shift during multiday racing
  11. Recommendations for appropriate serum electrophoresis requests: the Italian approach
  12. Masthead
  13. Masthead
  14. Editorials
  15. Biomarkers for sepsis: an unfinished journey
  16. Laboratory demand management of repetitive testing – time for harmonisation and an evidenced based approach
  17. Reviews
  18. Non-invasive prenatal diagnostics of aneuploidy using next-generation DNA sequencing technologies, and clinical considerations
  19. The diagnostic utility of brain natriuretic peptide in heart failure patients presenting with acute dyspnea: a meta-analysis
  20. Opinion Paper
  21. Opinion paper on innovative approach of biomarkers for infectious diseases and sepsis management in the emergency department
  22. Genetics and Molecular Diagnostics
  23. Microarray with LNA-probes for genotyping of polymorphic variants of Gilbert’s syndrome gene UGT1A1(TA)n
  24. Selection of the optimal manual method of cell free fetal DNA isolation from maternal plasma
  25. A multiplex assay to rapidly exclude HLA-DQ2.5 and HLA-DQ8 expression in patients at risk for celiac disease
  26. Low cost biosensor-based molecular differential diagnosis of α-thalassemia (Southeast Asia deletion)
  27. General Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  28. Managing laboratory test ordering through test frequency filtering
  29. Critical review of laboratory investigations in clinical practice guidelines: proposals for the description of investigation
  30. Long-term stability of laboratory tests and practical implications for quality management
  31. Coffee consumption, serum γ-glutamyltransferase, and glucose tolerance status in middle-aged Japanese men
  32. Biological variation and prognosis usefulness of new biomarkers in liver transplantation
  33. Switching between parathormone (PTH) assays: the impact on the diagnosis of renal osteodystrophy
  34. A comparison between two different in vitro basophil activation tests for gluten- and cow’s milk protein sensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like patients
  35. A proficiency testing program of hemoglobin analysis in prevention and control of severe hemoglobinopathies in Thailand
  36. Advancing haemostasis automation – successful implementation of robotic centrifugation and sample processing in a tertiary service hospital
  37. ADAM12s and PP13 as first trimester screening markers for adverse pregnancy outcome
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  43. Additional diagnostic and prognostic value of copeptin ultra-sensitive for diagnosis of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction in older patients presenting to the emergency department1)
  44. Moderate elevations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and B-type natriuretic peptide in chronic hemodialysis patients are associated with mortality
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