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Peanut allergy may be overdiagnosed
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Scientists at the University Hospital of South Manchester and Phadia in Uppsala, Sweden, recently announced that they have developed a blood test for detecting peanut allergy in children that is 95% accurate.
Adnan Custovic, MD, PhD, and colleagues studied 933 children; 110 children in the sample group were suspected of peanut sensitivity based on positive skin or blood tests. When challenged, only one of 50 had a true clinical peanut allergy.
This reveals that most skin and blood tests used to determine peanut allergy give a false positive result, the researchers said; however, the new test “accurately discriminates peanut allergy from tolerance,” Custovic said in a press release.
He added that although avoiding peanut products is difficult, it is the easiest way to avoid anaphylactic reactions, “newer diagnostic tests combined with expert advice on treatment will be a major step forward in management of patients with peanut allergy.”
The research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research and a charitable donation from Carl and Jackie Michaelsen.
Nicolaou N. J All Clin Immunol. 2010; 125:191-197.