Allergen tests in adults. Price, how to hand over, what are, decoding

Allergen tests are a complex of studies carried out on the skin and blood in adults, which make it possible to diagnose allergies in general and to certain types of substances.

Since allergy manifests itself in various symptoms, it is possible to accurately diagnose it only after a complete examination and delivery of all tests for allergens, the price of which varies greatly depending on their species.

So, in view of the similarity of symptoms when prescribing a course of treatment for patients with bronchial or intestinal an infection, tests for allergens are always prescribed in order to exclude this factor of influence on the body the patient.

Analyzes for allergens are carried out in various ways, depending on the age and state of health of the patient and make it possible to accurately diagnose the disease in a patient within 1-2 days.

Indications for research

Allergy is expressed in a negative and acute reaction of the body's immune system to one or a complex of stimuli. Faced with "irritants", the body of an adult patient suffering from allergies begins to attack and try to neutralize it on its own.

As a result, cells of organs and entire systems of the body are involved, which leads to the appearance of a number of symptoms:

• lacrimation;
• runny nose and sneezing;
• swelling and redness of the skin, trachea, or mucous membranes;
• skin rashes of various types;
• bowel disorder;
• itching.

Often, allergy symptoms are similar to ARVI and completely copies the main signs of the disease. In some cases, allergies are seasonal in nature and appear only in the spring-autumn period, like most respiratory diseases.

This disease can accompany various diseases, significantly increasing their symptoms, therefore, if indications, the doctor prescribes an analysis for general and specific immunoglobulins, which are present only in the blood allergy.

In the blood of an allergic patient, when an irritant appears in large quantities, antibodies are produced - immunoglobulins of class E. Antibodies bind to the cells of the irritant substance, trying to make it safe. It is these substances that are established in the blood or on the skin when analyzing for allergens.

Allergen tests are prescribed in adults only after the patient has been examined by a doctor, diagnosed individual symptoms and general blood and urine tests in order to exclude the presence of inflammatory processes.

The price of such an analysis can vary greatly depending on the place of delivery and the volume of research and can be up to 5-6 thousand rubles. rub., therefore, it is necessary to undergo a study in cases of strong manifestation of general symptoms.

Common signs of allergies that can be tested for allergens include:

• systematic and difficult to treat colds, including those accompanied by complications;
• manifestation in colds of the asthmatic component;
• chronic rhinitis, in which rhinitis can stop for 1-2 days and then reappear;
• recurrent hives, eczema, or dermatitis on the skin;
• prolonged intestinal upset against the background of treatment with probiotics and anti-infectious drugs (subject to normal nutrition);
• symptoms unusual for the patient (frequent sneezing, systematic lacrimation, periodic swelling of the skin or mucous membranes), provided that there are allergies in the family or the symptoms persist for a long time.

  

In the presence of such signs, the patient must necessarily pass a general blood test. If the number of eosinophils (granulocytic leukocytes) in it is exceeded, then the allergy factor requires a more in-depth study. In this case, an analysis for allergens is prescribed.

Most often, an analysis is prescribed by an allergist. If there are signs of allergic manifestations against the background of low immunity and other diseases, tests for allergens can be prescribed by an immunologist.

Such an analysis can be prescribed by a therapist after examination, since allergies are often expressed in the form of a concomitant reaction of the body, exacerbating the symptoms of the underlying disease. In this case, allergies can be congenital or acquired in adulthood.

If the allergy is associated with the respiratory system (bronchial asthma, allergic bronchitis), tests for allergens are prescribed by a pulmanologist. In the event of skin rashes of different etymologies, a dermatologist may also recommend an allergen test to eliminate the factor of influence of the allergic component.

How is it determined

Tests for allergens in adults, the price of which depends on the type of study, are carried out in 2 main ways:

• by blood;
• by examining skin tests.

Skin tests as an analysis to determine the presence of allergies have been used for a long time (more than 20 liters) and is considered the first type of such research. It is prescribed only for adult healthy patients aged 7 to 55 years old, who have no contraindications to this.

If you have flu or cold, weakened immunity, it is better to postpone the analysis or replace it with another. In children, skin tests are prescribed only if absolutely necessary.

This method is carried out to determine if the patient is allergic to the main irritating factors:

• food products;
• pollen and dust;
• animal hair;
• parasites;
• chemical substances;
• medicines.

Allergen skin tests can help determine if you are allergic to a specific type of allergen. For 1 procedure, you can detect a reaction to no more than 10-15 specific allergens. This type of study provides accurate data on the degree of allergic manifestations and allows an accurate diagnosis. Until now, this method is actively used in Russia and abroad.

However, there are cases when, even in the presence of an allergy to a particular type of irritant, any manifestations may be absent on the skin. This is due to the peculiarities of the skin (rough skin or thick upper layer of the epidermis) or the reaction of the body.

Especially often, such a skin reaction is manifested when taking antihistamines on the eve of or immediately before the study. In case of an ambiguous reaction of the skin to allergens, the patient may additionally be prescribed a blood test.

Analyzes for allergens in adults, the price of the simplest of which is no more than 600 rubles, based on blood taken from a vein, allows you to determine the immunological status of a person as a whole.

This study has a number of significant advantages:

• the result of the study is obtained even with the parallel administration of antihistamines;
• by 1 blood test, several types of allergens are diagnosed at once;
• the analysis is absolutely safe for the patient and can be performed even in children from 4 months;
• the study can be carried out in acute periods of the manifestation of the disease.

Blood sampling for analysis is carried out from a vein. According to the obtained indicators of the level of antibodies, the manifestation of the symptoms of the disease is established, which is noted in the results. Based on the results of a test for allergens, the doctor diagnoses the patient with an allergy.

Preparation and analysis

Analyzes for allergens in adults, the price of which can be high, as with any medical examination, require preparation. In case of emergency, it can be carried out in any conditions, even after taking antihistamines and with acute manifestations of allergy symptoms.

However, such analysis results will not give an adequate assessment of the data obtained and may differ from the results of the same analysis submitted after preliminary preparation.

In general, preliminary preparation for testing for allergens by blood or skin test does not include special steps.

For this:

• for 1 day, you need to exclude spicy, fatty or exotic foods from the diet and adhere to a diet. The last meal on the eve of the test should be completed before 6 pm;
• in 1 day before undergoing the procedure, you should avoid strenuous physical activity and sports;
• it is not recommended to be nervous on the eve or before the analysis, therefore, you should calm down as much as possible and tune in to a positive result;
• before donating blood (1-2 days), you need to stop taking any drugs that are not caused by vital necessity. It is imperative to consult with your doctor about taking such medications at the examination in order to exclude side effects on the study result. It is also recommended not to drink alcohol or smoke before the procedure;
• Blood is donated from a vein on an empty stomach or after 4 hours. after the last meal.

A blood test for allergens can be done at the medical center, where 2-5 cubic meters of blood are removed from the vein. ml. blood.

The collected analyzes are immediately transferred to the laboratory for research.

There are 2 main components in the blood:

• total immunoglobulin IgE;
• specific E immunoglobulin.

The first test determines the level of immunoglobulin in the blood.

In this case, the blood is checked for immunoglobulin levels. By the amount of antibodies reflected in the results of the study, the doctor concludes that there is an allergy in the body.

Average for adults, average upper level IgE in the blood should be no more than 100 IU / ml. If it is exceeded, an additional study for a specific immunoglobulin is carried out in order to establish the exact type of stimulus.

In the second case, the blood is tested for specific globulins:

• for this, a small amount of blood is mixed with a substance containing a separate type of irritant;
• after which the level of globulin is measured.

To determine the presence of allergies, the amount of antibodies is checked against the average level of this indicator for this type of analysis. There are tables of indicators of the level of antibodies in the blood, which are used to assess the presence and degree of allergic manifestations.

For the delivery of an analysis for allergens by conducting skin tests, they are prepared in the same way as for the delivery of a blood test for allergens.

However, it is carried out in other ways:

• skin test, in which an irritant substance is applied to the patient's intact skin;
• Prik test, when a solution with the selected type of substance is dripped onto the skin and then pierced with a needle to a depth of 1 mm in the center of the place where the liquid is applied;
• The scarifier test is a similar procedure. The solution is dripped onto the skin, and then the upper layer of the epithelium is gently scratched several times with a special scarifier (a disposable medical instrument for punctures that resembles a spear).

After any of these procedures, a reaction occurs on the skin of the allergic patient. It can be expressed in different forms, be instantaneous or late manifestation.

A system for qualifying skin reactions has been developed, which makes it possible to clearly establish the presence of a pronounced allergy to certain types of irritants. When redness, rashes, itching appear, the laboratory assistant can not only establish the speed of the body's response, but also the degree of his reaction, which is very important for understanding the effects of stimuli on the patient's tissues.

However, there are cases when the skin reaction to certain types of irritants is insignificant or quickly disappears. In such situations, it is impossible to say unequivocally about the diagnosis of allergies. For a more accurate examination, a blood test for allergens may additionally be prescribed.

Decoding the results

An analysis for allergens in adults, the price of which is determined by the complexity of the study, carried out by blood, allows you to deduce the presence of an allergy in general. To identify the factor of the presence of an allergic component, the level of total immunoglobulin IgE in a blood sample is measured.

Normally, the amount of such antibodies should not exceed 100-110 IU / ml. The lower the amount of IgE in the blood, the less the body reacts to external stimuli. If IgE is more than 150 IU / ml, an allergy is diagnosed in the patient. At a higher level, the disease will be acute.

In the case of a study for specific E immunoglobulins, the reaction of blood cells is detected in relation to each group of stimuli separately.

In this case, the level of E immunoglobulin is assessed according to the approved scale:

IgG4 level in units / ml	Sensitization degree
up to 50	no sensitivity
from 50 to 100	weak
from 100 to 200	average
above 200	high

When an average and high level of the body's reaction to certain irritant factors is detected, an allergy to certain types of substances is confirmed.

It is impossible to independently decipher the results of skin tests, since the study is temporary.

When conducting skin tests, allergic manifestations are established by a laboratory assistant on the basis of the available scale of skin reactions. After the end of the test, the patient's skin is completely restored, and the results of the study indicate the degree, type of reaction and its speed.

Regardless of the type of study, only an allergist should decipher the indicators, taking into account the age and state of health of the patient. Since in some cases a deviation of 10 units. will be considered the norm, and in others a significant excess.

Based on the data obtained, the doctor will accurately diagnose, and also prescribe the optimal method of treatment when symptoms of the disease appear.

When to see a doctor

Allergies have a variety of symptoms that manifest themselves to varying degrees in each person. In milder forms of manifestation, a person may generally not notice the presence of allergic manifestations for a long time. In this case, no special treatment is required.

However, in the case when the patient is very worried about the manifestations of allergies, general symptoms appear. allergic reactions or the body's immune system often fails, you should immediately contact an allergist.

Allergies are diagnosed quite simply by examination and testing. For the rapid disappearance of allergy symptoms, excluding the source of its manifestation is often not enough.

Allergies are treated with a course of antihistamines that block the body's response and the release of antibodies. Such drugs act mildly and cause a temporary normalization of the immune system. After the symptoms have completely disappeared, taking the drugs can be stopped.

In addition to the course of treatment, the patient is advised to further avoid the irritating factor in order to prevent the recurrence of the disease.

Possible complications

Allergic symptoms can increase or decrease in their manifestations over time, depending on the condition of the patient's body.

Despite the external harmlessness of the disease, allergies can cause significant consequences in cases where:

• The patient ignores allergies and with prolonged exposure to a "harmful" factor on the body;
• also occurs with self-medication or incorrect prescription of the drug by the doctor;
• when exposed to the body of similar (cross) stimuli;
• in case of intoxication of the body with non-allergic substances that weaken it (tobacco, alcohol);
• if the patient has chronic infections that can aggravate allergic manifestations (sinusitis, rhinitis, caries).

In these cases, the patient may develop acute symptoms of allergy within a limited period of time.

In the future, the consequences of a strong manifestation of allergic reactions not only cause inconvenience, but they can also be hazardous to health and provoke:

• angioedema, which manifests itself in the form of severe tissue edema at the points of contact with the irritant. Edema of the larynx is especially dangerous, since with a complete blockage of the respiratory function, the patient can die without the provision of appropriate medical care;
• anaphylactic shock develops against the background of taking medications or an insect bite. Due to the strong and instantaneous reaction of the stimulus, blood pressure drops sharply, sweating increases and weakness develops. The patient's skin turns pale, and the pulse is almost not felt. Allergic symptoms lead to impaired respiratory function and, in some cases, seizures. The person may lose consciousness. The onset of such a condition without the provision of emergency medical care can be fatal.
• Bronchial asthma is a consequence of atopic dermatitis. Dry and frequent coughs and heavy breathing cause shortness of breath and signs of choking. Without proper treatment, asthma can develop into a chronic form.
• Lyell's syndrome causes skin rashes in the form of blisters. The blisters expand, burst and the skin is separated from the body in layers. A similar disease is associated with a violation of the temperature regime inside the tissues, which is accompanied by a bacterial infection. The disease progresses without proper treatment and can cause death.
• Stevens-Jones Syndrome on the contrary, it causes a sharp redness of the skin. A sensation of heat and severe discomfort appears on the skin, and the mucous membranes become inflamed and turn blue. Only after carrying out drug treatment, the symptoms of the disease gradually disappear.

Analyzes for allergens should always be done after the onset of vivid symptoms, the appointment of a doctor and the search for the optimal price for the study of blood tests. In adults, allergies can develop as environmental conditions and circumstances change.

When severe symptoms appear, allergies can be accompanied by concomitant diseases and cause complications in the form of chronic manifestations. However, with timely diagnosis and proper treatment, you can easily cope with any type of allergy and restore your health completely.

Allergy test video

The doctor will tell you about the allergy test: