Rapid In Vitro Specific IgE Allergy Test

Filed in archive Allergy: Diagnostics and Treatment on January 24, 2010

Th US Food and Drug Administration has cleared Phadia's ImmunoCAP® Rapid Reader II for use in the diagnosis of allergy in the physician's office.

With ImmunoCAP Rapid, physicians who treat asthma and rhinitis patients will have semi-quantitative measurements of IgE levels for ten common inhalant allergens in the United States. With this insight, clinicians can differentiate between atopic and non atopic etiologies contributing to their patient's symptoms; counsel their patients for allergic trigger avoidance; develop targeted exposure reduction action plans specifically tailored to each patient's allergic sensitization profile; and prescribe the right medications.

The perk of this new diagnostic test is that quick results can be available while the patient is still in the office, so that doctors can immediately discuss and make recommendations on the management of the patient's allergies. The test requires drawing of blood sample (they promise it's just going to be one blood draw, once). While this might be scary for some, it is actually less risky that skin prick tests, for example, where there is a risk of allergic reactions as you are exposed to allergens during testing. It's convenient for adults, and a gentle testing option for young children.

If you are a parent of a child with allergies, here are some further reading material from the makers of ImmunoCAP to better understand your child's allergies.