Pretreatment serum levels of IgE to chymopapain in reactive patients
Sagona, M.A.; Bruszer, G.; Pearson, F.; Mascoli, C.C.; Serkes, K.
Annals of Allergy 55(5): 674-677
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4738 PMID: 4061973 Document Number: 244182
Discolysis (chemonucleolysis) with chymopapain, the proteolytic enzyme, is currently being used in the treatment of herniated lumbar discs. Of the patients receiving treatment, approximately 1% experience an anaphylactic reaction. This reaction is thought to be mediated by IgE antibodies to chymopapain. Because of this, it may be possible to predict potential reactors using in vitro testing. In the current study, five out of seven patients who experienced allergic anaphylaxis during discolysis demonstrated high IgE serum levels to chymopapain before treatment.