AllergyTesting

Discontinue antihistamines prior to testing. Before blood is drawn for your allergy tests, you should have discontinued use of any over-the-counter antihistamines (E.g. Benadryl, Chlortrimeton, Claritin, etc.) for 48 hours. Prescription antihistamines such as Allegra, Clarinex, Zyrtec and Astelin nasal spray should be discontinued 5 days prior to having blood drawn.

Wait 3 weeks after last dose of steroids. This precaution includes steroid injections (Decadron, Depomedrol) and oral steroids (Prednisone). Steroid nasal sprays (Nasonex, Rhinocort, Nasacort, Nasarel, Flonase) should be discontinued 5 days before testing.

Allow 2 weeks after last dose of steroids before drawing blood for MRT.

Children should be well-hydrated before MRT and RAST testing. Children should be given frequent liquids for the entire morning and lunch hour prior to their testing. Failure to do so may complicate the blood draw, resulting in unnecessary stress on the child. It is sometimes necessary to draw blood from more than one site to obtain adequate volume for the testing.

The MRT must be drawn after 12:00 noon. The samples must be sent by Airborne Express to the testing facility within a few hours of being drawn in order to insure accurate results. If you need to see the doctor on the same day that you plan to have your MRT drawn, you will need to make your appointment after lunch; from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. This will allow your blood to be prepared for shipping before Airborne picks up specimens from our office. If you are returning to the office only to have your blood drawn, for the RAST or MRT, you will not need an appointment. Simply come-in between 1-3PM and let the receptionist know that you are here for a blood draw.

	Patient Education SKIN & BLOOD Allergy Testing SET/RAST/MRT
Understanding “Allergies” What we call “allergic reactions” are actually a hypersensitivity to substances known as allergens, which normally do not cause a reaction. According to one source, roughly 20% of the U.S. population has at least one form of this disorder of the immune system. Some of the more common allergic conditions or associated symptoms include: eczema, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, hives, and food allergies. Allergens may enter the body through a variety of routes, including skin contact (jewelry, cosmetics, etc.), ingestion (food products), inhalation (pollen, molds, etc.) and injection (drugs). Hypersensitivities range from minor skin rashes to potentially lethal anaphylactic shock, and therefore may be merely inconvenient, or dangerous. Understanding, isolating and treating them is our concern at Alabama ENT.
Making Sense of Allergy Testing… In order to get a complete picture of a patient’s allergy profile, results from traditional Skin or S.E.T. (serial endpoint titration) testing, RAST (RadioAllergoSorbent Test), and the MRT blood test (Mediator Release Test) will provide all the “pieces of the puzzle.” Both the RAST and MRT can be performed from a single blood draw done with a very small needle for your comfort. Also, the Two-Week Food Diary that you were given will also be very helpful in identifying food intolerances or allergies, since only a limited number of foods can be tested for in any single allergy panel. Also, since the foods you consume most frequently are the most likely candidates for triggering your symptoms, the evaluation of your food diary will help us identify foods which need to be added to the standard food panel
S.E.T. Testing… S.E.T. skin testing involves injecting a tiny amount of a suspected allergen under the skin in weaker to stronger concentrations, then waiting 15 minutes and measuring the skin response to determine if an allergy exists. The needles used for this testing are extremely small and only produce mild discomfor
RAST Testing… RAST allergy testing can be used to determine IgE reactions to foods and items that are airborne called “inhalants,” such as dust mites, pollen, animal dander and molds. IgE reactions are the quickest to take effect (usually between minutes and three hours) after eating, inhaling or contacting a particular allergen. When allergic reactions become life threatening, as in situations when the throat closes and the patient cannot breathe, an IgE reaction is the culprit. Occasionally a negative RAST test will occur while the patient contineus to have allergy symptoms. A limited skin testing battery (S.E.T. test) may then be done to rule out allergies in this case. Please be aware that most insurance companies cover a large portion of RAST testing or skin (S.E.T.) testing. However, before having your blood drawn, you must meet with our Insurance Specialist to determine your particular insurance benefits regarding the testing recommended by our doctors.
MRT Testing… Another type of reaction, IgG reactions, generally occur more slowly and their symptoms may not be as apparent. However, they can also wreak havoc on the body. IgG reactions can cause congestions, eczema, and the other types of reactions commonly seen, but they can also be responsible for for stomach and intestinal discomfort, headaches, itching and other skin reactions, mood swings, fluid retention, even hyperactivity and attention deficit in children and adults. Many people have reactions to foods that are detrimental to their health, yet they do not involve the immune system. Therefore they are not true allergies, but rather food intolerances. The MRT identifies IgG allergies as well as food intolerances. This test exposes whole blood (not just serum, the clear part) to the test items and measures the change in the shape of the blood cells. It provides important information about how a food affects the body. This information has enabled us to help many of our patients who suffer from headaches, nasal congestion or coughing, eczema, ADD/ADHD, or even multiple sclerosis improve dramatically. Although the MRT is used extensively in Europe, U.S. insurance companies do not generally pay for this test. Therefore, we offer it to our patients at our cost of $385.00, since most patients must pay for it themselves. (This test regularly costs over $600 when billed by outside labs.)
Preparing For Allergy Testing… Discontinue antihistamines prior to testing. Before blood is drawn for your allergy tests, you should have discontinued use of any over-the-counter antihistamines (E.g. Benadryl, Chlortrimeton, Claritin, etc.) for 48 hours. Prescription antihistamines such as Allegra, Clarinex, Zyrtec and Astelin nasal spray should be discontinued 5 days prior to having blood drawn. Wait 3 weeks after last dose of steroids. This precaution includes steroid injections (Decadron, Depomedrol) and oral steroids (Prednisone). Steroid nasal sprays (Nasonex, Rhinocort, Nasacort, Nasarel, Flonase) should be discontinued 5 days before testing. *Allow 2 weeks after last dose of steroids before drawing blood for MRT. Children should be well-hydrated before MRT and RAST testing.* Children should be given frequent liquids for the entire morning and lunch hour prior to their testing. Failure to do so may complicate the blood draw, resulting in unnecessary stress on the child. It is sometimes necessary to draw blood from more than one site to obtain adequate volume for the testing. *The MRT must be drawn after 12:00 noon.* The samples must be sent by Airborne Express to the testing facility within a few hours of being drawn in order to insure accurate results. If you need to see the doctor on the same day that you plan to have your MRT drawn, you will need to make your appointment after lunch; from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. This will allow your blood to be prepared for shipping before Airborne picks up specimens from our office. If you are returning to the office only to have your blood drawn, for the RAST or MRT, you will not need an appointment. Simply come-in between 1-3PM and let the receptionist know that you are here for a blood draw.
Test Results… When we receive the results of your allergy tests, our allergy nurse will contact you regarding inhalants (airborne allergies). Skin test results will be obvious the day of testing, and explained at that time. We will also contact you about any sensitivity to foods, dyes or additives. You will be invited to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss these results and for possible follow-up referral to a qualified dietician, if food allergy or intolerance is detected, to help you investigate possible dietary changes. If for some reason you are not contacted within two weeks of your RAST/MRT blood draw, please contact our office.
Back…	Copyright 2005 Alabama ENT Associates - Last Revised: 05/02/05

Patient Education

SKIN & BLOOD Allergy Testing

SKIN & BLOOD
Allergy Testing