The most common cause of year-round runny nose
House dust mites are microscopic organisms that live in mattresses, pillows, carpets and upholstered furniture and feed on exfoliated flakes of skin. Allergies are caused by proteins in their bodies and waste products. It is the leading cause of year-round allergic rhinitis and one of the main factors in bronchial asthma. A characteristic sign is that the symptoms intensify at night and in the morning, when cleaning, making the bed, and decrease outside the home. Confirmation of sensitization has direct practical consequences: elimination measures - anti-mite covers on mattresses and pillows, washing clothes at high temperatures, avoidance of carpets and soft toys - actually reduce symptoms. Mite allergy is also one of the main indications for allergen-specific immunotherapy.
Blood test instead of skin test
Determination of specific IgE in the blood has important advantages over skin tests: it can be carried out during an exacerbation, while taking antihistamines, with severe dermatitis, when the skin is unsuitable for testing, and in young children. There is also no risk of a systemic reaction, since the allergen is not introduced into the body.
The panel format allows you to immediately test a group of related allergens in one blood draw - it is cheaper and more informative than testing each one separately.
How to read the result
- class 0 - no antibodies detected
- class 1 - low level, clinical significance is questionable
- grades 2–3 - moderate level, reaction is likely
- grades 4–6 – high and very high level, reaction is very likely
The main rule of interpretation
The presence of specific IgE means sensitization - the readiness of the immune system to respond, but not the allergy itself. A diagnosis is made only if laboratory data coincide with real symptoms after contact with this allergen. That is why you should not exclude a product from the diet only on the basis of analysis, without clinical manifestations - especially in children.