Allergy rates are on the rise in the U.S., with an estimated 50 million Americans suffering. One side effect – Americans are buying antihistamines to the tune of 3 billion dollars a year, often times without knowing which allergies are actually causing their symptoms. Doctors say in-vitro blood tests, the latest generation of allergy tests, can help take out the guess work out of diagnosing and treating allergies.
Unlike the skin prick tests of the past, which can take an hour and a half to perform and require up to 150 injections, in-vitro tests, like the 3G allergy tests, require just one blood sample. Systems like the IMMULITE®2000 from Siemens are then able to test that sample for up to 420 specific allergens and allergy panels. Doctors say this testing method is more convenient, efficient and accurate, not to mention more comfortable for the patient. The tests can be performed in patients over the age of 3 months.
