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Physician Information
Information and tools to help you manage your allergic patients.
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What is an Allergy? |
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Physician Information |
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Patient Information |
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Physician Information | Testing Options | Allergy in Your Practice
It
is estimated that approximately 55 million Americans — 22% of the population
— suffer from one or more allergic diseases. Allergy is a common cause
of acute and chronic illness, accounting for approximately 10% of all
patient visits to the physician’s office and is one of the leading causes
of school absenteeism. In addition to producing chronic respiratory
problems, allergy interferes with normal growth and development, may
cause physical disability and poses substantial social and economic
burdens, the latter of which has been estimated in the U.S. to exceed
$5 billion a year for rhinitis alone.
Approximately $8 billion were spent in
2001 on prescription allergy medications. Most of these prescriptions
were provided without benefit of identifying the causative allergens.
As a result, many of the patients who have received these drugs will
require chronic therapy, the long-term effects of which are unknown.
More importantly, early diagnosis and
treatment of the allergic patient has been shown to modify the course
of the disease and prevent subsequent development of other conditions
such as asthma.
As reported in the Expert Panel Report 2 funded by the National Institutes
of Health, atopy, the genetic state of hyper-responsiveness to allergens,
is the strongest identifiable predisposing factor for the development
of asthma.
It has been
hypothesized that allergic sensitization at a young age results in a
state of chronic airway inflammation, which increases the child’s susceptibility
to nasal and ear infections.
Chronic allergy-mediated inflammation and associated infections can
cause mucosal damage and lung remodeling that can ultimately lead to
asthma.
As reported in the Expert Panel Report 2 funded by the National Institutes
of Health, atopy, the genetic state of hyper-responsiveness to allergens,
is the strongest identifiable predisposing factor for the development
of asthma. It has been
hypothesized that allergic sensitization at a young age results in a
state of chronic airway inflammation, which increases the child’s susceptibility
to nasal and ear infections.
Chronic allergy-mediated inflammation and associated infections can
cause mucosal damage and lung remodeling that can ultimately lead to
asthma.
A number of studies, including those published
in the 1999 World Health Organization ARIA Workshop Report, indicate
that early treatment of allergy can change the course of the disease
progression, with clinical intervention appearing the most effective
if the treatments are initiated before the age of six, highlighting
the importance of early diagnostic testing.
- Nalebuff, DJ and Fadal, RG Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis (2001)
- Bousquet, J J Allergy Clin Immunol 108, S147-334 (2001)
- Pediatr Allergy Immunol 9, 116-124 (1998)
- Martinez, FD Pediatrics 109, 362-367 (2002)
- Expert Panel Report 2, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, 1997; NIH publication 97-4051
Northwest Allergy Laboratory Can Assist Your Allergy Department
- Provide patient information on environment, avoidance, home use products, and rotation diet for you allergic patients.
- Evaluate test results for foods or environmental.
- Help choose environmental or food allergens to be tested to complete the patient work-up.
- Recommend immunotherapy treatment sets from Specific IgE class scores, including instructions.
- Provide the dosing regimen by providing you with reference literature. Technical assistance available, Monday- Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm Pacific time.
- NWAL will bill appropriate insurance carrier or Medicare for your patients.
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Northwest Allergy Lab --
Phone: (206) 706-5400 --
Fax: (206) 706-0455 1551 NW 54th Street -- Seattle, WA 98107 |
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