Specific IgE antibodies to cow's milk and individual cow's milk proteins in children with suspected allergy to cow's milk

Specific IgE antibodies against whole-milk-antigen mixture and against casein, alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin were determined using the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) in 125 sera of children with an initial diagnosis of suspected cow milk allergy. The results of the RAST were correlated with the clinical diagnosis. No specific IgE antibodies could be demonstrated in 98 children. Of these, 20 (20%) showed clinically intolerance to cow milk presumably on the basis of other immunological mechanisms. Specific IgE antibodies could be demonstrated in the sera of 27 children. Of these, 16 (60%) actually showed allergy to cow milk. A statistically significant association with chi 2 test could be established between positive RAST and clinical diagnosis (p = 0.001).