State of allergy diagnostics

Investigators may have uncovered advancements and challenges in diagnostic strategies for food allergies.

In a review published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the investigators sought to evaluate novel diagnostic tests as well as barriers to achieving timely and accurate diagnoses in patients with food allergies.

The investigators noted that although oral food challenges are currently the diagnostic standard, this method is often resource intensive, may result in delayed diagnoses and can risk inciting allergic reactions. Diagnostic tools such as the basophil activation test demonstrated high specificity in previous studies. Further, researchers are exploring the efficacy of the epitope-specific immunoglobulin E test, the mass cell activation test, T-cell profiling, alternative biological sampling methods and machine learning-based approaches. The investigators indicated that if these strategies become a part of clinical practice, they could potentially minimize reliance on oral food challenges.

However, the investigators identified challenges in the implementation of novel food allergy diagnostics. For instance, these tests may be less cost effective, are often limited in availability and require specialized equipment or expertise. Additionally, researchers still face difficulties distinguishing food allergy from food sensitivity, particularly among patients who react to less common allergens.

The investigators concluded that the combination of novel diagnostic tools could help enhance precision and reduce unnecessary oral food challenges.

Read more: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.