Role of Alpha Trypticase Enzyme, Total IgE, Specific IgE & IgG4 In Patients with Food Allergy

Background: Foodallergy is an abnormal adverse immune response to exposure and consumption of a variety of food containing allergens in individuals inherited atopic gene. Different types of food materials are imposed on food hypersensitivity like egg, milk, dairy products, nuts, and other foodstuffs. Different tests are used to diagnose and follow up food allergies like total IgE, Specific IgE and Skin test. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the importance of IgG4 and Alpha Typticase parameters besides total and specific IgE in diagnosis food allergy cases in patients. Patients &Methods: The study was conducted during the period from October 2019 to January 2020 at Ramadi Teaching Hospital and Microbiology Department, College of Medicine, University of Anbar. Seventy-five (75) Patients form both sexes, adults and children were showing signs and symptoms consistent with food allergy were attending Allergy Section at Ramadi Teaching Hospital and Private Allergy and Dermatology Clinics at Ramadi city, each patient was examined and followed by a senior physician. serum from each was investigated for total IgE, Specific IgE, IgG4, and serum Trypticase contents. Fifty normal individuals resembling the patient's group were considered as the Control group and the same investigations were done for them. Data were analyzed using SPSS system. Results: Adult patients above 30 years old were showing the highest ratio of food allergy (52.0%) while the lowest ratio (16%) was found among children with predominance in females (54.7%) Higher values of IgE were found among patients (38.7%) with mean value more than 200IU/ml. Serum IgG4 was elevated in those with food allergy with increased total IgE in the patient group. Higher Tryptase enzyme means values (17.21 ng / ml) were found in patients sera than control individuals (9.4 ng / ml) with no effect of gender. Eight (8, 38%) of sera were showing positive specific IgE in children while eighteen (18, 71%) of adult sera were positive for specific IgE . Child patients were showing positive results for Milk, Egg white, Cacao, Nuts, and Wheat, while adults were found positive for pepper, Barely, Tomato, Citrus, and Broad beans. Conclusion: Food allergy represents a common health problem at any age group and mostly in adult and child females. Total serum IgE, IgG4, and Serum tryptase were elevated in these patients affected with a variety of food allergens. So They are good parameters for food allergy.