BloodWorks, the medical testing laboratory that brought the country’s first “IgG Antibody” and the “Anti NMDA Receptor Antibody” tests, is serving up another first.

The DPA-DX Pediatrics Panel is finally available in the Philippines. Designed to determine the cause of your child’s allergic reactions with pinpoint accuracy, the test isolates the specific protein that’s causing all the trouble. With this new technology, parents can now know exactly how to protect their loved ones.

Previous standard blood and skin tests give you the big picture and determine if your child is allergic to milk, peanuts, eggs, pollen, etc. The DPA-DX Pediatrics Panel goes a step further and looks into the protein subtypes that actually trigger the allergic reaction. This prevents misdiagnoses as well as help catch undiagnosed allergic conditions. 

Knowing the specific allergen involved is vital for allergy management. Knowing, for example, that your child is allergic to “casein,” a type of protein found in milk, gives you better insight into how best to take care of your child. As you may know, casein doesn’t just exist in milk. It is also often used as an additive in processed food and is found in processed meats, ice cream, creamers, whipped toppings, pasta, and baked goods. 

Before Bloodworks, you had to fly to Europe for this kind of assessment. But today, at a fraction of the cost (P7,777), you can have your child tested at one of our branches and get a precise diagnosis.

The DPA-DX Pediatrics Panel test is available at Bloodworks  Alabang, Katipunan, and Cebu. The home service option is available as well. Give us a call to set up an appointment.  

What Are Allergies?

The former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has instituted July 8 as “National Allergy Day.”

But what are allergies, anyway?

Allergies have something to do with the immune system.

The body’s immune system fights off harmful substances like bacteria and viruses, keeping illness and disease at bay. When a foreign entity comes in contact or enters the body, the immune system quickly sets off a protective process to eradicate or neutralize the threat.

Allergies are the immune system’s inappropriate response to normally harmless substances. Many children are allergic to things like pollen, milk, eggs, and peanuts. This means their body’s immune systems mistake these substances as “invaders” and react accordingly.

According to Prof. Benigno Agbayani Sr., a respected pioneer in allergology and immunology in the Philippines, more than 20% of Filipinos experience allergic reactions to many different types of allergens. The prevalence rates are at 21% for children, 26% for teenagers and 36-47% for adults.

There are many different types of allergens. They include:

• Food– Practically any food substance can be an allergen. Your body can react adversely just as soon as you ingest it. In addition to milk, egg, and nuts, many are also exhibiting allergic reactions to crab, lobster, shrimp, fish, wheat, soy and sesame seeds.

• Pollen—Flowers, plants, and trees release grains of pollen into the air as part of their reproductive process. They may be invisible to the naked eye, but nevertheless, they are there in the environment.

According to the 2008 National Nutrition and Health Survey, 2 out of 10 Filipinos suffer from allergic rhinitis—a seasonal, pollen-induced type of allergy.

• Animal dander—Your favorite pet “Bantay” might shed skin and fur that could be an allergen to you or other members of the household. In addition to dogs and cats, pet rodents and birds have also been proven to cause allergic reactions.

Animal saliva, urine, and feces might also contain allergens. When a cat licks itself, saliva sticks to its fur. When the fur is shed, the allergen originally in the saliva may then become airborne and come into contact with the skin—triggering a skin allergy. Dust from dried feces can become airborne in the same manner and can irritate the skin.   

• Insect Venom—Anybody stung by an insect such as honeybees, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets or fire ants, will naturally develop a red, itchy, swollen spot. However, some people exhibit extreme reactions to insect venom that includes dizziness and difficulty breathing.

• Drugs—Some medicines contain substances that cause allergic reactions in patients. Penicillin, aspirin, ibuprofen and sulfa antibiotics (those containing sulfonamides) are common medications that could be allergens. That’s why physicians often look into your medical history and do skin or blood tests before prescribing certain drugs.  

What Are The Symptoms of Allergies?

Allergic reactions range from mild and barely noticeable, to severe and life-threatening. These symptoms are the immune system’s overreaction to harmless substances. They include:

• Rashes/Hives – These are red, itchy and warm spots on the skin. Sometimes they can even swell and sting. Depending on the severity of the reaction, rashes can be local, appearing only in specific parts of the body, or general—flushing all over the body.   

• Nasal congestion—Allergens can also trigger a combination of sneezing, running nose, and stuffy nose. You may also experience watery eyes and scratchy throat. These symptoms are often associated with allergic rhinitis. It is a condition where an allergen like pollen or dust is inhaled and irritate the nasal passages.

• Wheezing, shortness of breath and tightening of the chest—Wheezing, or that high-pitched whistling sound heard when a patient breathes can be a sign of allergic asthma. The person finds it harder to breathe because of the constriction of the muscle bands surrounding the air passages. To make breathing even more difficult, thicker and more mucus is produced during the asthmatic episode.

• Swollen lips, tongue, around the eyes, hands or feet

Symptoms of severe allergic reactions include:

• heart palpitations

• abdominal cramps

• nausea and vomiting

• weakness

• light-headedness and confusion

• fainting or losing consciousness

Anaphylaxis is an extreme allergic reaction. It’s a life-threatening, rapidly progressing condition that requires immediate medical attention. Anaphylaxis is systemic—involving practically all organs of the body. This is the reason why the condition progresses very rapidly.

Within seconds of contact, the immune system floods the body with chemicals. A rapid chain reaction results in the body going into “shock.” The pulse becomes so weak the heart is unable to pump blood up the brain. Breathing becomes severely limited and the patient appears confused. Unconsciousness could set in within 30 minutes of initial contact.

Without immediate and appropriate action, the condition is fatal. Epinephrine (adrenaline) is used to deal with anaphylaxis and it should be administered as soon as humanly possible.

How Are Allergies Diagnosed?

To avoid medical emergencies like anaphylactic shock, you should first know the specific allergens to avoid. You, or your child, need to be tested.

In addition to taking a detailed medical history, there are basically two main tests used to diagnose allergies. The first is a skin test and the second is a blood test.

Skin Test

The doctor or nurse places a sample of the allergen (eg. pollen, dust or animal dander) on the skin. This could be done on your back or the inside of the arm. The doctor then pricks or scratches off the outer layer of the skin. If you are allergic to the sample substance, the area will become red and swollen in a matter of minutes.

Sometimes, an injection of the allergen will be directed just below the surface of the outer skin.

Blood Test

The skin test is fast and accurate. However, there are instances when it is not advisable. Sometimes the patient is so sensitive to an allergen that simple contact can cause severe reactions. Other times, the patient may be taking medication that could potentially interfere with the results of the test.

A blood test is the only recourse.

Blood is drawn from the patient. The sample is then sent to the lab for analysis where it will be screened for existing antibodies.    

DPA-DX Pediatrics Panel

The Define Partial Allergen Diagnostics (DPA-DX) Pediatrics Panel is also a blood test. The main difference is in the precision pinpointing of allergens. One of the problems with standard allergy diagnosis is the idea of “cross-reactivity.” Because the protein structure of related foods (eg. different types of nuts) are also quite similar, the immune system lumps them together and react in a similar fashion. A standard blood test could come out positive for say, shrimp. (So you are told to avoid it.) It makes you wonder because you’ve been eating shrimp without any problem all your life.   

On a molecular level, your immune system is reacting to it, but you do not feel any symptoms as a whole. Cross-reactivity might explain the positive test result. Your immune system is reacting to shrimp because the proteins in shrimp are very similar to the proteins of some other food substance you are actually allergic to.

The DPA-DX Pediatrics Panel takes out the guesswork by looking at individual protein subtypes. Now you can know what food substances you (or your child) are actually allergic to.

How Are Allergies Treated?

There are different ways to manage your child’s allergy once it has been sufficiently established. These approaches are not mutually exclusive and can be utilized in conjunction with each other.

Avoidance

If you or your child have been diagnosed with a certain allergy, you can then take steps to prevent contact with the allergen. Some of the things you can do include:

• Environmental checks—If dust, for example, is an allergen, you should then always maintain the cleanliness of the rooms and places your child often stays. If cats or dogs are the culprit, then you keep the child away from environments that have these allergens in the air.

• Meal planning—If food allergies are present, a meal plan can be a good way to ensure that your child gets the necessary nutrition despite the allergy. You should also be more conscientious in reading food labels. And, just as important as the list of food items your child can’t eat, is the list of items that he or she can safely have.

• Activity planning—If pollens are proven to be an allergen, this could restrict the outdoor activities of the child. Activity planning includes the places and spaces your child goes to, as well as the types of activities he or she engages in. Remember that pollen allergies have seasons because certain plants release pollen at specific times of the year. You should factor this information into your activities plan.

Over-the-counter medications

Precautionary measures do not offer total protection for your child. He or she would eventually encounter allergens. When this happens, there are drugs that can help alleviate the symptoms.

These include:

• Antihistamines—They are effective for conditions like rhinitis and work by suppressing allergic reactions like itching, inflammation, and sneezing.

• Nasal decongestants—They relieve stuffy noses and swollen sinuses. However, they should not be taken continuously for more than 72 hours.

• NSAIDs (Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)—These help ease the redness, swelling, and pain in your body.

• Topical creams—For skin allergies, putting calamine creams can help relieve itching and provide a calming and cooling sensation for the child.   

Immunotherapy

As mentioned, the drugs above simply alleviate the symptoms of the allergy. For long-term results, immunotherapy is recommended. It works by desensitizing the immune system by exposing the patient to increasing amounts of the allergen. The goal is to have the body so used to the allergen it doesn’t react to it anymore.

The treatment may be in the form of a shot and injected subcutaneously, or in the form of tablets or drops. By gradually exposing the patient to the substance it’s supposed to be allergic to, the body is said to build resistance to the substance and won’t overreact when exposed in the future. In a way, it works like a vaccine.

Immunotherapy can take 3-5 years and needs to be discussed by your trusted physician. It is not recommended for patients under the age of 5.

 

If allergy is a serious health concern for you or your child, the first step in managing it is by getting an accurate diagnosis. Bloodworks Lab, as a premier medical testing facility, offers the country’s first DPA-DX Pediatrics Panel. It is the latest breakthrough in allergy detection. With this new test, you can now precisely identify the specific allergens that could potentially affect your child.

We are your one-stop-shop for all your blood test needs. Bloodworks Lab branches are in Alabang, Katipunan, and Cebu.