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TEST |
DEFINITION
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METHOD
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INDICATIONS
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Patch Test
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Patch testing determines allergic sensitivity. A suspected allergen is applied to
the skin on a small surgical pad for a period of time, indicating whether that substance
causes inflammation of the skin.
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A drop of elutable glove extract or a piece of rubber glove is placed on the client’s
forearm. The area is checked in a specified length of time, typically 20 minutes.
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Assessment for hypersensitivity to both chemical and protein allergens.
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Rast Test
(Radioallergosorbent
test)
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This IgE blood test looks at the total amount of antibodies. It identifies what
types of IgE proteins trigger allergic reactions, signifying that an individual
is prone to latex allergy.
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This method uses a blood sample from a suspected NRL-sensitized individual. It measures
specific IgE antibodies against NRL allergens. This method is reported to have an
80% sensitivity and 100% specificity in non-atopic individuals.
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Quantitative measurement of allergen-specific IgE antibody in the patient’s serum.
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Skin Prick
Test (SPT)
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A test for latex allergy or sensitivity. This is considered to be the “gold standard”
for allergy testing because of its reliability.
|
Elutable proteins are extracted by cutting 1 gram of glove into small pieces and
soaking the pieces at room temperature in 5ml of normal saline for 15 minutes. A
drop of this solution is placed on the forearm, which is then pierced by a lancet,
and the resulting reaction compared to saline as a negative control.
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Assessment for hypersensitivity to protein allergens.
Would not be used for routine diagnosis of latex hypersensitivity.
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