DOUGLAS H. SANDBERG, M.D.
Professor, University of Miami Medical School, Miami, FL
MARK J. PASULA, PH.D.
Research Director, AMTL Corp., Miami, FL
Presented at the 45th Annual Congress of the American College of Allergy and Immunology, Los Angeles, CA: November 12-16, 1988 (published – Annals of Allergy)
In order to characterize a negative population with respect to the Alcat Test, a group of healthy young athletes was compared to an age matched group of patients with suspected food sensitivities.
Each group consisted of 25 subjects and the same panel of 9 major dietary components was performed on each subject using the Alcat Test. The healthy, asymptomatic group (A) was selected on the basis of three criteria:
1. Member of the University of Miami Hurricanes Football Team on a nutritionally balanced diet plan
2. No history of food sensitivities
3. Subject fell into the 18-25 age bracket
The patient group (B) consisted of 18 males and 7 females in the same age bracket as group (A).
Reactions were measured as a change in peak area between a control sample and a test sample and were converted to % reaction. Based on a mean of 8.68% from the average of 450 results, a standard deviation of +/- 4,29% was established. From this data, a one-tailed acceptance region was formed consisting of the upper limit of the deviation. The region served as a delimiter for positive result identification. Of the 225 reactions observed for each group.
Group (A) had a total of 5 positive results compared to 47 positive results for Group (B). The mean for Group (A) was 6.56% whereas the mean for Group (B) was 10.80%.
The Alcat Test can discriminate between a healthy (negative) and a patient population group. The mean in a patient group is significantly higher than in a healthy group.