Allergens, Specific IgE Test

Serum

0.1 mL per allergen

0.07 mL per allergen

Red-top tube or gel-barrier tube

Detect possible allergic responses to various substances in the environment and evaluate for hay fever, asthma, atopic eczema, and respiratory allergy. The quantitative allergen-specific IgE test is indicated (1) to determine whether an individual has elevated allergen-specific IgE antibodies; (2) if specific allergic sensitivity is needed to allow immunotherapy to be initiated; (3) when testing individuals for agents that may potentially cause anaphylaxis; (4) when evaluating individuals who are taking medication (eg, long-acting antihistamines) that may interfere with other testing modalities (eg, skin testing); (5) if immunotherapy or other therapeutic measures based on skin testing results have not led to a satisfactory remission of symptoms; (6) when an individual is unresponsive to medical management where identification of offending allergens may be beneficial.

Quantitative allergen-specific IgE test results should be interpreted in the context of all available clinical and laboratory findings. High levels of total IgE (>3000 IU/mL as may be seen due to parasitic infestation or other conditions) may result in nonspecific binding. Testing in these patients should be re-evaluated once the medical condition has been eliminated.

Thermo Fisher ImmunoCAP®

Identification of allergen or allergens in patients with atopic disease may be approached clinically by history, physical findings, skin and/or quantitative allergen-specific IgE testing. Numerous reports comparing skin testing and quantitative allergen-specific IgE have accumulated in the literature, generally to assess which method has the better sensitivity/specificity.