Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Allergy is a growing problem in the western world. However, education of health care workers in the field of allergy has not kept up with clinical need. There has been much evidence that medical practitioners use diagnostic tests inaccurately, declaring food allergy where there is none. Removal of food from a patient's diet, especially a child's, has significant nutritional implications that can be irreversible and have a lifelong effect. Furthermore the cost of inappropriate tests is escalating. Guidelines have recently been set indicating that allergy focused history must guide all allergy orders: http://www.ifan.ie. 1. To optimise the allergy testing service provided for both clinicians and patients. 2. To examine whether allergy testing was in line with current guidelines. 3. To look for areas where cost efficiency could be improved. 4. To gather local data that can be incorporated into education sessions for clinicians. All sIgE tests ordered through the laboratory at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, from May 8th to Nov 7th 2013, were made available in the form of an excel spread sheet. The outcomes of 4 tests were evaluated, according to age of patient and department from where order originated. HDM sIgE Grass pollen sIgE Positivity increased with age consistent with all international data. Testing for fruit allergy The common food panel: Dr Cathryn O Carroll Dr Aideen Byrne
Institution: Tallaght University Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology and Allergy
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,690
OpenAlex ID: W1853133662