Scientists in the United Kingdom might have found a way to better diagnose children to see if they are allergic to peanuts.
Introducing MAT
On May 3, The Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology published a new study from Medical Research Council scientists. The research team has created a blood test that could accurately help health officials diagnose peanut allergies in children. The blood test is called the mast cell activation test (MAT). The MAT will act as a backup to save consumers from going to take the Oral Food Challenge.
What Is The OFC?
The oral food challenge (OFC) has been the traditional way that medical officials use to find out if people are allergic to peanuts. The OFC involves patients to eat peanut product in a safe environment such as a doctor's office and hospitals. However, the risk with OFC is that as they continue to consume peanuts in a larger dose, the patients might end up going into anaphylactic shock. In addition, patients could also experience various symptoms such as stomach cramps, scratchy skin, and throat problems.
The MAT's Advantages
The team believes that MAT has several advantages over the OFC. One advantage is that MAT is a cheaper alternative to the OFC, as families would have to pay 1,000 pounds ($1,360) to have specialists conduct the OFC. Secondly, the Medical Research Council team believe that MAT is safer and has a 98 percent accuracy rate. The MAT could also be used to help pharmaceutical companies to monitor patients' reactions to drugs during clinical trials.
The Study
Dr. Alexandra Santos, the lead scientist for this study, and her team recruited 174 children to participate in the study. There were 73 children that had the allergy and 101 kids who were peanut-tolerant. The research team focused on the kids' mast cells, which function as allergy triggers. Santos and her colleagues found that the children had severe allergies had the most activated mast cells. Santos corresponded with Tech Times and told us that the MAT could be used worldwide.
"The mast cell activation test (MAT) could be used to test for peanut allergy in different parts of the world. It can also be used to test for other food allergies, which is something we are currently working on," said Santos to Tech Times.
Allergy Corner
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, at least 50 million Americans suffer from nasal allergies. The AAFA stated that rising temperatures created longer allergy seasons, which could possibly lead to poor air quality and possible asthma attacks. The allergy organization also named McAllen, Texas, Louisville, Kentucky, Jackson, Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee, and San Antonio, Texas.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published a study by Northwestern Medicine that found ways to curb the development of food allergies in children. They advised parents that failure to remove soap from children's skin, using baby wipes, dust allergens, and skin exposure to food could lead to the formation of a food allergy.
Earlier this year, a Minnesota toddler named Ivy Angerman, found out that she was allergic to water. Doctors diagnosed Angerman with aquagenic urticaria. If Angerman encounters water, she breaks out in rashes, hives, and blisters. It was also noticed that when she cries, her face swells up.
