Specific IgE measurements
Specific IgE measurements were performed with both ImmunoCAP™ Phadia 250 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Phadia AB, Uppsala, Sweden) and NOVEOS (Hycor, Garden Grove, CA, USA) systems, in full compliance with NF EN ISO 15189 standards (certification #8-1769). Following the initial determination by the ImmunoCAP method, samples were kept frozen at -40°C before testing with NOVEOS. For statistical analyses, sIgE values outside of the analyzers’ ranges of measurement (ImmunoCAP: 0.10 - 100kUA/L; NOVEOS: 0.17 - 100 kUA/L) were adjusted to 0.10 or 0.17 kUA/L respectively for results below these values, or to 100 kUA/L for results >100 kUA/L. Some samples were tested after addition of a CCD-blocker reagent (ProGlyCan MUXF3-human serum albumin, Hämosan, Ilz, Austria) at a final concentration of 20 µg/mL.