Concentration of IgG antibodies against food allergens in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and healthy individuals

Introduction : In recent years the hypothesis that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms result from allergies or food intolerance which have not been identified has been gaining more and more supporters. Attempts are being made to find a connection between the symptoms identified in patients with IBS and food allergy, particularly IgG-dependent. The results obtained do not give a definite answer.

Aim : Evaluation the usefulness of tests for immunoglobulin G (IgG) in patients with IBS against food allergens and the possible use of the obtained results for the introduction of an elimination diet.

Material and methods : The study included 100 patients with IBS treated at the Gastrological Clinic of Brodnowski Regional Hospital in Warsaw. The control group consisted of 50 healthy individuals. IgG antibodies in the serum were tested against eight mixes of food allergens The concentration of antibodies was examined by an enzyme immunoassay test. Calculations were performed in Stata v.10.

Results: Positive tests denoting the concentrations were found in more than 90% of patients with IBS. For the three tested mixtures of allergens, all the results were positive, and the remaining positive IgG titre occurred in at least 95% of the patients. In the control group results were similar.

Conclusions:

1. Determination of IgG is not applicable to the diagnosis of food allergies and dietary modification in patients with IBS.

2. Elevated level of IgG in serum is probably the organism's response to the products consumed rather than an expression of hyperresponsiveness to allergens contained therein.