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Article Supports Use of Diagnostic Blood Tests for Allergies; Evidence Helps Boost Low Accuracy of Diagnosis Rates and Improve Patient Care

Posted on: Tuesday, 19 April 2005, 09:00 CDT

Diagnostic blood tests for specific IgE, when used in combination with family history and medical evaluation, decrease the unnecessary use of antihistamines and improve the management of allergies by accurately diagnosing the condition in patients. This information was published in the April issue of the American Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

"This paper supports the broader use of blood tests, like ImmunoCAP, to accurately diagnose allergic rhinitis," said lead author Wade Brosius, DO, Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. "It is prudent to use a diagnostic blood test before treatment begins, because the test provides objective evidence about the presence or absence of allergies."

The author concluded that correctly diagnosing inhalant allergies on the basis of symptoms, patient history and physical examination, without diagnostic testing, is a challenge. In fact, a complete history and physical evaluation in patients with nasal symptoms provides an accurate diagnosis of allergic rhinitis in only 50 to 66 percent of cases.

"Allergy like symptoms are often caused by other, non-allergic conditions, so proper treatment always depends on accurate diagnosis," said Dr. Brosius. "ImmunoCAP plays an important role to rule allergies in or out, guide treatment strategies and ultimately improve care for patients."

This article also evaluated the consequences of misdiagnosing allergic rhinitis since half of rhinitis patients suffer from non-allergic rhinitis and non-sedating antihistamines cannot work in these diseases. In addition, this review found that the unnecessary use of antihistamines can have serious ramifications for patients who do not suffer from the allergic condition. These consequences include: unnecessary or ineffective treatment; delays in seeking medical care; higher cost; side effects; and, decreased productivity and quality of life.

"The majority of patients are misdiagnosed as having allergies, so this underscores the importance of educating physicians and patients about proper diagnosis and treatment of these disorders," said Dr. Brosius. "With increased use of ImmunoCAP, we likely will see a significant improvement in the diagnosis and management of patients."

ImmunoCAP Specific IgE blood test allows health professionals to accurately measure sensitivity to a given allergen in patients as young as three months of age. The test works by taking a small blood sample to detect the presence of an antibody circulating in the blood when the body is fighting an allergen. Safe and effective for adults and children, the test can show whether a patient has an allergy and help pinpoint specific allergen triggers. ImmunoCAP was the first allergy test to be accepted by the FDA as a truly quantitative test for pinpointing allergens and the National Institutes of Health now accept allergy blood testing for asthma patients.

Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden, is the world leader in in vitro allergy diagnostic research and product innovation. Its U.S. affiliate is in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Source: Business Wire

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