Look for the truth in asthma

with the help of allergen specific IgE blood testing

Brought to you by Brought to you by Thermo Fisher

Your patient's most obvious allergen may only be part of their problem

Each allergen adds to the trigger load until the load is so great that despite their preventative medication, they experience asthma symptoms that require absence from school, require oral steroids or even emergency care in hospital.

Uncovering the true picture of allergic triggers is important when planning the best management for your patient.

Up to 80%

of allergic patients are sensitised to at least 3 allergens^1,2

Exposure reduction is irrefutably proven to work ^3,4,7,10

Allergens and viruses act together to exacerbate asthma^9,10

The combination of viral infection and exposure to aeroallergens in sensitised children with asthma increases the risk of hospital admission almost 20-fold despite ICS use.¹⁰

Reducing allergen exposure, in children with asthma, reduces the risk of a virally induced exacerbation leading to hospital admission by nearly 50%.

Additionally (in sensitised children) allergen exposure reduction to all confirmed sensitisations can:^7,10

Reduce medication use

Reduce symptom days

Reduce time off school

Allergen exposure reduction significantly reduces the risk of hospital admission in children with asthma

Risk of hospital admission (OR)

Sensitisation
& Exposure

Sensitisation
& Virus

Sensitisation
Exposure & Virus

46% risk
reduction

p<0.001*

Adapted from Murray CS, et al. 2006.¹⁰

*Prospective 12 month study of children aged 3-17 years with asthma. N=252 (84 children admitted to hospital with an acute asthma exacerbation; Control group 1: 84 children with stable asthma who were not admitted to hospital or require oral steroid for asthma exacerbation in the previous 12 months; Control group 2: 84 patients admitted to hospital with non-respiratory conditions. All controls were age and sex matched.

The combination of sensitisation, exposure, and viral infection was significantly associated with risk of hospital admission (p<0.001; OR19.4 (95%CI 3.7-101.5) following a multivariate analysis adjusting for the use of inhaled corticosteroids and duration of asthma symptoms.

Identifying and reducing allergen exposure can reduce asthma medication and reduce costs^3,8,12

Initial specific IgE blood testing of children with respiratory and/or skin problems can reduce medication use over 2 years⁸...

11%

Antihistamines

70%

Bronchodilators

51%

Corticosteroids

Reducing exposure to all confirmed allergies in asthma can lead to:⁷

4 fewer missed school days

21 fewer symptom days

per year per patient

Specific IgE blood testing could help your patient take control of their asthma

How can specific IgE testing help your patient (and you)?

Patients and parents/carers often aren't aware of the link between allergies and asthma.

They may have no idea that their child's preventer medication may be keeping the inflammation caused by their triggers under control. Nor, that at some point their child's allergic and non-allergic triggers add up until they eventually need to use their reliever inhaler, are too unwell to go to school, need oral steroids, or even need to be admitted to hospital.

Confirming which allergens your patient is sensitised to can help you develop a targeted exposure reduction plan to help keep them below their threshold, even when they are exposed a seasonal trigger or viral infection.^3,7

It just takes one extra trigger (e.g. a virus) to push your patient, despite their preventer medication, over the edge of their symptom threshold

Pollen
/Virus

Mould

Dust Mites

Pollen/Virus

Mould

Dust Mites

Symptoms

No Symptoms

Symptom Threshold

Medication

Specific IgE testing can assess whether your patient is sensitised to one, or several, of the most common aeroallergens associated with asthma, including:

House dust mites

Cat dander

Dog dander

Moulds

Pollens (grass or tree)

Uncovering the allergic triggers requires specificity

WITH AEROALLERGENS: History alone is not enough; it needs to go together with testing.

Patients can present with a history indicative of house dust mite or cat allergy but actually not be sensitised, likewise they can present with no indicative history and the cat may be the primary trigger.¹¹

The only certain way is to test for the most common triggers in patients with asthma.

Specific IgE blood test

ImmunoCAP' Specific IgE blood testing is a highly specific allergy blood test.

Requires
just of blood to test for up to
10 allergens

Widest array of allergens

No risk of an adverse anaphylactic reaction

Can be performed on any patient, irrespective of allergic risk, skin conditions, or current medication

Can be requested through pathology ordering systems (listed as: sIgE, spIgE, RAST, ImmunoCAP)

A step-by-step guide to using specific IgE as a management strategy in asthma

Step 1: Look for the truth

For newly diagnosed patients, or those with recent asthma exacerbations, identifying their allergic triggers can improve asthma control, reduce medication use and minimise disease progression.

Step 2: Confirm allergies with
specific IgE

Use specific IgE blood testing to confirm the patient's common aeroallergen triggers, e.g. cats, dogs, house dust mites, mould, pollens.

Interpreting the results:
Your testing laboratory may interpret the results for you by indicating which test is positive or negative, or which may be borderline. However, if this is not the case in your area, a specific IgE test result of ≥0.1 kUA/L indicates sensitisation.

Step 3: Develop a customised Exposure Reduction Plan

Allergen exposure reduction plans targeting all confirmed allergies are highly effective.⁷

Using the results of the allergens identified in the specific IgE testing in Step 2, create an individualised exposure reduction plan targeting all sensitised allergens as part of the patient's standard-of-care.

We hope this guide will be helpful for you in finding those allergic triggers and employing strategies to alleviate symptoms in your patients.

Further information can be found at allergyai.com

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References

Ciprandi G, et al. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;40:77-83.
Petersson CJ, et al. Sensitization profile in undiagnosed children with skin and respiratory allergy-like symptoms in primary care. Abstract presented at WAO, Buenos Aires, Argentina 6-10 December 2009.
Eggleston PA. lmmunol Allergy Clin North Am 2003;23(3):533-547.
4. Wickman M. When allergies complicate allergies. Allergy. 2005;60 (Suppl 79):14'18.
Gore RB, Custovic A, 2002, Aeroallergen avoidance: What practical advice can we give to patients? CPD Bulletin Immunology and Allergy, Vol: 2, Pages: 40-43
Murray CS, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2017;196(2); 150-158
Morgan WJ, et al. N Engl J Med 2004;351(11):1068-1080.
Zethraeus N, et al. Italian Journal of Pediatrics 2010;36:61.
Green M, et al. BMJ 2002;324:1?5.
Murray CS, et al. Thorax 2006;61:376'382.
Smith HE, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;123:646-50.
12. Pawankar R (Ed) et al. White book on allergy, 2011; World Allergy Organisation UK.

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Look for the truth in asthma

Your patient's most obvious allergen may only be part of their problem

Identifying and reducing allergen exposure can reduce asthma medication and reduce costs^3,8,12

Reducing exposure to all confirmed allergies in asthma can lead to:⁷

Specific IgE testing can assess whether your patient is sensitised to one, or several, of the most common aeroallergens associated with asthma, including:

Uncovering the allergic triggers requires specificity

Specific IgE blood test

We hope this guide will be helpful for you in finding those allergic triggers and employing strategies to alleviate symptoms in your patients.

Download exposure reduction advice to help you identify and manage allergy in your patients.

Will you use sIgE testing to help improve the management of your patients with asthma

How likely would you be to recommend this content?

How likely would you be to recommend this content?

Are you a healthcare professional?

Look for the truth in asthma

Your patient's most obvious allergen may only be part of their problem

Identifying and reducing allergen exposure can reduce asthma medication and reduce costs3,8,12

Reducing exposure to all confirmed allergies in asthma can lead to:7

Specific IgE testing can assess whether your patient is sensitised to one, or several, of the most common aeroallergens associated with asthma, including:

Uncovering the allergic triggers requires specificity

Specific IgE blood test

We hope this guide will be helpful for you in finding those allergic triggers and employing strategies to alleviate symptoms in your patients.

Download exposure reduction advice to help you identify and manage allergy in your patients.

Will you use sIgE testing to help improve the management of your patients with asthma

How likely would you be to recommend this content?

How likely would you be to recommend this content?

Interested in our Allergy/Autoimmunity Education?

Will you use sIgE testing to help improve the management of your patients with asthma

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Identifying and reducing allergen exposure can reduce asthma medication and reduce costs^3,8,12

Reducing exposure to all confirmed allergies in asthma can lead to:⁷

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