Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/96304
SPECIAL FEATURE Identifying Allergens, Controlling Winter Asthma AS COLDER TEMPERATURES DRIVE PEOPLE INDOORS, PEOPLE COME INTO CLOSE CONTACT WITH INDOOR ALLERGENS, WHICH MAY TRIGGER PREEXISTING ASTHMA. THE ADDITIONAL THREAT OF CONTRACTING RESPIRATORY VIRUSES THAT ALSO SPUR ASTHMA EXACERBATIONS MAKES WINTER PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA. WHILE PHYSICIANS CAN'T PREVENT THE CONTRACTION OF VIRUSES, THEY CAN HELP ASTHMATIC PATIENTS BY IDENTIFYING ALLERGIC TRIGGERS PATIENTS SHOULD AVOID. 12 | Twin Cities MD NEWS I MDNEWS.COM T HE IMMUNODIAGNOSTIC S of Thermo Fisher Scientific (formerly known as Phadia) developed ImmunoCAP Specific IgE blood testing as the secondgeneration radioallergosorbent test (RAST) approximately 20 years ago. The innovative test features improved sensitivity to specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) — antibodies found in the blood that develop in response to allergens. Robert Reinhardt, M.D., U.S. Medical Director for the ImmunoDiagnostics business of Thermo Fisher Scientific, says ImmunoCAP provides several benefits primary care physicians may find advantageous for their patients. BUSINESS Like RAST, ImmunoCAP requires one simple blood draw from a patient's arm. Dr. Reinhardt points to improvements in ImmunoCAP's method of detecting specific IgE from the blood sample as a significant upgrade from RAST. ImmunoCAP's design couples allergens on a three-dimensional sponge, which has the capability of binding more specific IgE than RAST's two-dimensional paper disc method. The ImmunoCAP Specific IgE assay is performed on one of the family of Phadia Laboratory Systems and is fully automated and categorized as Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) moderate complexity. The