House Dust Panel, Serum
Use
The House Dust Panel, Serum is primarily used for diagnosing allergies to common allergens such as cockroach, Dermatophagoides farinea, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and house dust. It helps in identifying the allergens responsible for allergic reactions, which could include anaphylactic episodes. The test is useful in confirming sensitization before starting immunotherapy and investigating the specificity of reactions to insect venom, drugs, or chemicals. However, testing for IgE antibodies is not useful in patients previously treated with immunotherapy or when medical management does not rely on identifying specific allergens.
Special Instructions
Only one result is generated for the entire panel, which cannot differentiate between individual allergen responses. For cases testing positive, additional follow-up testing is needed to identify specific allergen sensitizations. This test uses a pooled allergen reagent and reports a single qualitative result for each allergen class.
Limitations
This test cannot identify individual allergen sensitization; follow-up tests are required for such differentiation. The test may not be useful for individuals who have undergone immunotherapy. False-positive results can occur in patients with extremely high IgE levels exceeding 2500 kU/L, which may cause nonspecific binding. Some individuals with marginal clinical sensitivity may still show measurable IgE antibodies; hence, results must be interpreted carefully within the clinical context.
FDA ApprovedNew York Approved
Methodology
Immunoassay (FEIA)
Biomarkers
LOINC Codes
- 37987-5
- 37987-5
Result Turnaround Time
1-3 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Serum
Volume
0.5 mL
Minimum Volume
0.3 mL
Container
Preferred: Serum gel; Acceptable: Red top
Collection Instructions
Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial.
Causes for Rejection
Gross hemolysis: OK; Gross lipemia: OK
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Refrigerated | 14 days |
| Frozen | 90 days |