IgG and IgE avidity characteristics of peanut allergic individuals.

The role of antibody avidity in allergy is poorly understood and there is no existing literature describing antibody avidity in food allergy. The main aim of this study was to investigate IgE and IgG avidity to a total peanut protein extract (TPPE) and purified Ara h 2 in a group of well-characterized peanut allergic individuals. Forty peanut allergic patients underwent a double-blind placebo-controlled low-dose peanut challenge, during which the severity of the patients' peanut allergy was scored.