New York : Researchers have developed a simple blood test which can foretell whether one was liable to have severe allergic reactions to peanut and seafood, reports ANI.
To detect food allergies, physicians typically use skin prick tests or blood tests that measure levels of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), a protein made by the immune system. However, these tests cannot predict the severity of allergic reactions.
A simple, safe blood test — developed by researchers at the Mount Sinai Hospital — can now accurately foretell the severity of each person’s allergic reaction to foods.
The immune cell measured is the basophil and the blood test, called the basophil activation test (BAT), requires only a small blood sample and provides quick results.
“While providing crucial information about their potential for a severe allergic reaction to a food, having blood drawn for BAT testing is a much more comfortable procedure than food challenges,” said first author Ying Song, MD. “We believe BAT testing will provide accurate information in a safer manner,” Song said.
