Cord Blood Lymphocyte Responses to Antigens for the Prediction of Allergy

Background It is not sufficient to predict a "high allergic risk" for newborns on the basis of an ncreased cord blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentration alone, because an increased cord blood IgE concentration is specific but not sensitive in the prediction of the developn,ent of allergic disorders. Objective We describe two cases in which cord blood lymphocyte proliferative responses to food antigens were useful for prediction of the development of allergic disorders. Methods and results The cases of two full-term newborn infants who developed food-sensitive atopic dermatitis after the age of 10 months were investigated. The cord blood IgE concentrations and the proliferative responses of cord blood lymphocytes to food antigens were measured. In both cases, the clinical features from 10 months after birth were closely related to the proliferative responses of the cord blood lymphocytes to each of the food antigens but not to the cord blood IgE concentration. Conclusion Analysis of the proliferative responses of cord blood lymphocytes to food antigens may be useful not only for prediction of the development of allergic disorders, but also for identif cation of offending allergens.