Source: Siemens
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
For millions of adults and children worldwide, allergies are nothing to sneeze at. Symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes, coughing, and congestion are not just miserable, they can negatively impact an individual’s quality of life and cause a decrease in work and school productivity. The correct diagnosis is key to providing patients with the right treatment plan.
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A growing health concern
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergic diseases affect as many as 40 to 50 million Americans. In Europe, over 100 million people suffer from allergies.1 An allergic reaction occurs when an allergen comes into contact with the body and the immune system produces an antibody called IgE to fight it. The IgE antibody triggers a chemical cascade that causes the various symptoms typical of an allergic reaction. For many, allergies are much more serious than itchy eyes and a runny nose. Nearly 80 percent of all asthma cases are allergic asthma.2 “It is important to use a test like 3gAllergy to give information to parents about allergies and asthma. When we catch rhinitis early and give treatment at an early age, it is possible to prevent the progression of rhinitis to asthma,” says Markus Ollert, MD, an allergist with the Department of Dermatology and Allergy at the Clinical Research Division of Molecular and Clinical Allergotoxicology at the Technical University of Munich, Germany.
The Siemens 3gAllergy advantage
Traditionally, allergy testing has often been a long and painful process, with small amounts of a suspected allergen being injected into the skin’s surface on the arm or back. If a patient is allergic to a substance, redness or swelling will appear at the site of the skin prick. The Siemens 3gAllergy test is the first-FDA cleared third generation blood test for allergies. The test measures allergen-specific IgE antibodies found in the blood. Terrence Zipfel, MD, an allergist and otorhinolaryngologist practicing in East Liverpool, Ohio, USA, has been using the 3gAllergy test in his practice for nearly four years. “The results that we can obtain from one needle stick are enormous,” says Zipfel “I think the 3gAllergy technology has increased the efficiency of the office, the quality of patient care, and has ultimately enabled us to take better care of more patients. Early diagnosis and treatment can have an immediate impact on a child and provide lifelong benefits.”
Key Benefits
- Early allergy detection and treatment has been shown to prevent the onset of asthma and chronic allergic conditions
- The 3gAllergy test increases office efficiency and provides accurate results in the physician office, clinic or hospital laboratory