Rare but important allergy
Meat allergies are less common than other food allergies, but have several clinically significant features. In children with an allergy to cow's milk protein, in about a tenth of cases, a cross-reaction to beef is observed - this affects the preparation of the diet. An allergy to chicken meat can be combined with a reaction to an egg, although more often these sensitizations are independent. Separately, there is alpha-gal syndrome - an allergy to red meat that develops after bites of certain types of ticks: its unique feature is the delayed onset of the reaction, 3-6 hours after eating, due to which the connection with meat is usually not detected by either the patient or the doctor. The panel is indicated for recurrent urticaria and swelling of unknown origin, as well as for delayed reactions after meat dishes.
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.