Abstract
Data are presented to show that a microcomputer can be programmed to: (1) analyse a standard allergy questionnaire, (2) reliably predict the ranked order probabilities with which IgE antibody tests will produce positive results, (3) store the IgE test results, and (4) print a comprehensive report that summarises and integrates the clinical and laboratory data. Consequently, the practitioner who refers a blood sample and a questionnaire completed by the patient to a centre where both can be analysed will obtain enough practical information to decide whether to treat or refer that patient to a specialist. The microcomputer is therefore potentially of great value in any preliminary allergy investigation.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Eriksson N. E. Diagnosis of reaginic allergy with house dust, animal dander and pollen allergens in adult patients. III. Case histories and combinations of case histories, skin tests and the radioallergosorbent test, RAST, compared with provocation tests. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1977;53(5):441–449. doi: 10.1159/000231782. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ishizaka K., Ishizaka T., Hornbrook M. M. Physicochemical properties of reaginic antibody. V. Correlation of reaginic activity wth gamma-E-globulin antibody. J Immunol. 1966 Dec;97(6):840–853. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Johansson S. G. Raised levels of a new immunoglobulin class (IgND) in asthma. Lancet. 1967 Nov 4;2(7523):951–953. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(67)90792-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Merrett T. G., Burr M. L., Saint Leger A. S., Merrett J. Circulating IgE levels in the over-seventies. Clin Allergy. 1980 Jul;10(4):433–439. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1980.tb02126.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Merrett T. G., Merrett J. Methods of quantifying circulating IgE. Clin Allergy. 1978 Nov;8(6):543–557. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1978.tb01508.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Merrett T. G., Pantin C. F., Dimond A. H., Merrett J. Screening for IgE-mediated allergy. Allergy. 1980 Sep;35(6):491–501. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1980.tb01796.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Norusis M. J., Jacquez J. A. Diagnosis. II. Diagnostic models based on attribute clusters: a proposal and comparisons. Comput Biomed Res. 1975 Apr;8(2):173–188. doi: 10.1016/0010-4809(75)90037-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]