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Role of in vitro testing in food allergy
Author(s) -
Arasi Stefania,
Barni Simona,
Mastrorilli Carla,
Comberiati Pasquale,
Chiera Fernanda,
Pelosi Umberto,
Paravati Francesco,
Caimmi Davide
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1111/pai.13342
Subject(s) - medicine , basophil activation , food allergy , gold standard (test) , allergy , immunology , oral food challenge , immunoglobulin e , dermatology , basophil , antibody
Oral food challenges remain the gold standard for the diagnosis of food allergy. Nevertheless, the allergy workup is based on the presence of a clinical history, which is evocative of an immune‐allergic reaction, and the first assessment is usually the performance of skin prick tests. Based on these results, allergists are used to evaluate the presence of serum‐specific IgE, which are today the most commonly prescribed in vitro test for the evaluation of a possible food allergy. Other in vitro tests include the basophil activation test, that is becoming more and more employed by clinicians and not only by researchers, and the evaluation of serum IgG4, which is still an issue of debate in the allergy community. The present paper reviews the use of these in vitro tests for the diagnosis of food allergy.