Relationship between total tear and serum IgE in allergic conjunctivitis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Allergology
• Immunology

Background:

• A novel immunochromatographic test (Allerwatch®) for total tear IgE has been developed.
• Previous methods for assessing tear IgE were not readily available for clinical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of the Allerwatch® test in measuring total tear IgE.
• To determine the correlation between total tear IgE and serum IgE levels in patients with allergic conjunctivitis.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 40 patients with allergic conjunctivitis, 35 healthy controls, and 6 patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC).
• Total tear IgE was assessed using the Allerwatch® test, and serum total IgE was measured via solid-phase immunoassay.
• Data analysis included comparison of tear IgE rates and levels between groups and correlation analysis.

Main Results:

• The Allerwatch® test demonstrated a high positive rate for total tear IgE in the allergic conjunctivitis group (92.5%) compared to controls (0.0%).
• Sensitivity and specificity for detecting allergic conjunctivitis were 0.925 and 1.000, respectively.
• A significant positive correlation was found between the total tear IgE score and serum total IgE levels in allergic patients (r = 0.712, p < 0.00001).

Conclusions:

• The Allerwatch® test is a rapid, easy-to-perform method for measuring total tear IgE.
• This test shows promise as a valuable tool for diagnosing and managing ocular allergies in an outpatient setting.