Food Allergy Profile

10715

LAB01066

IgE allergy testing for:
Almond (f20)
Cashew Nut (f202)
Codfish (f3)
Cow's Milk (f2)
Egg White (f1)
Hazelnut (f17)
Peanut (f13)
Salmon (f41)
Scallop (f338)
Sesame Seed (f10)
Shrimp (f24)
Soybean (f14)
Tuna (f40)
Walnut (f256)
Wheat (f4)

2.5 mL serum

1.5 mL

Serum separator tube (SST)

Room temperature

Room temperature: 14 days
Refrigerated: 14 days
Frozen: 30 days

This allergen-specific IgE panel is used to quantitatively measure an individual's IgE response to 15 different foods that are commonly associated with allergies. These foods include almond, cashew nut, codfish, cow's milk, egg white, hazelnut, peanut, salmon, scallop, sesame seed, shrimp, soybean, tuna, walnut, and wheat. This IgE panel is intended to be used in conjunction with other clinical information to aid in the diagnosis of food allergies [1].

While allergen-specific serum IgE testing is considered comparable to skin testing in many instances, both the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recognize that allergen-specific serum IgE testing may be preferred in some clinical situations. These include (1) the presence of widespread skin disease, (2) the recent use of antihistamines or other medications that can affect the results of allergy skin tests, (3) uncooperative patients, and (4) medical history suggesting that allergen skin testing would pose a significant risk for a serious allergic reaction [1].

Food-specific IgE tests are extremely sensitive. However, a positive test result only indicates that a patient is IgE sensitized to the food of concern. Many IgE-sensitized individuals do not develop any symptoms when the food is ingested. A diagnosis of food allergy should only be made by a trained medical provider after conducting a thorough clinical evaluation [2,3]. While food-specific IgE test results may contribute to that evaluation, they cannot replace it. Moreover, several forms of food hypersensitivity are not associated with the presence of food-specific IgE in serum.

The results of this panel should be interpreted in the context of pertinent clinical and family history and physical examination findings.

References
1. Bernstein IL, et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2008;100(3 Suppl 3)S1-S148.
2. Sampson HA et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014;134(5):1016-25.
3. NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel, Boyce et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(6 Suppl):S1-S58.