Antibodies to Aspergillus in Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Kurup Viswanath P, Knutsen Alan P, Moss Richard B, Bansal Naveen K
Primary Institution: Medical College of Wisconsin
Hypothesis
Can specific antibodies to recombinant allergens of Aspergillus fumigatus help differentiate cystic fibrosis patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) from those without?
Conclusion
The study found that while some allergens showed strong reactions, no single method could reliably differentiate cystic fibrosis patients with ABPA from other cystic fibrosis patients.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of ABPA is significantly higher in cystic fibrosis patients compared to non-atopic CF patients.
- Specific IgE antibodies were detected in a majority of cystic fibrosis patients with ABPA.
- The study utilized both ELISA and ImmunoCAP methods to assess antibody responses.
Takeaway
Doctors looked at blood samples from cystic fibrosis patients to see if they had special antibodies to a fungus. They found that it was hard to tell which patients had a specific lung problem just by looking at these antibodies.
Methodology
The study evaluated purified recombinant allergens using ELISA and ImmunoCAP methods on sera from different groups of cystic fibrosis patients and controls.
Limitations
The study could not reliably differentiate between cystic fibrosis patients with and without ABPA based on antibody responses.
Participant Demographics
The study included 17 cystic fibrosis patients with ABPA, 17 with asthma, 22 with no ABPA or asthma, and 11 age-matched controls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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