What steps are involved in diagnosis of allergy?
What is the purpose of a physical exam when diagnosing allergy?
rule out other causes
examples of immunologic diagnostic tests for allergy
types of skin tests
skin test: cutaneous
- scratch with needle
sensitivity of skin test
risks of intradermal skin test
may hit a capillary with an allergen that pt is allergic to
What are positive results of skin tests?
How common is testing for immune complex disease done?
Not common; reactions don’t happen until after 2-4 hours and are similar to late phase reactions that occur following positive IgE-mediated reaction
Limitations to skin tests
- pt should not be on antihistamines or topical corticosteroids when taking skin test
skin test: in-vivo
- for delayed hypersensitivity (associated with T cells)
What is an examples of skin tests done in-vivo?
- patch test: contact dermatitis
examples of in-vitro allergy tests
examples of tests of IgE testing in blood
principle of IgE testing in blood
provocative allergen test
challenge with increased dose of allergen
elimination allergen test
get rid of antigen and see if allergic response goes away
Therapies to allergy
other names for immunotherapy
- hyposensitization
mechanism for immunotherapy
administering a small dose of allergen to induce an immune response against the allergen but not large enough of a dose to induce the allergic response itself
route of administration for immunotherapy
- sublingual
Examples of FDA approved sublingual therapy
What are standardized allergenic extracts?
- 19 available
quantity of allergenic extracts
- 600 therapeutic