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Alternative allergy testing

Alternative allergy testing. - any benefit to our patients?. Alternative tests. Vega testing Hair analysis Applied kinesiology York Laboratories - IgG testing. Alternative Tests. What the test involves ? Valid and evidence based Cost of testing. Applied Kinesiology -introduced in 1964.

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Alternative allergy testing

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  1. Alternative allergy testing -any benefit to our patients?

  2. Alternative tests • Vega testing • Hair analysis • Applied kinesiology • York Laboratories - IgG testing

  3. Alternative Tests • What the test involves • ? Valid and evidence based • Cost of testing

  4. Applied Kinesiology -introduced in 1964 • Kinesiology is the study of movement. • Applied kinesiology claims to detect changes in muscle strength, as a sign of disturbance in the bodies energy fields, to particular foods and substances.

  5. Claims to diagnose allergic conditions including adverse food and drug reactions.

  6. Weakness in a muscle confirms a problem with a food or given substance. • Maintained muscle strength indicates that the substance is beneficial. • Surrogate testing

  7. Research findings • 3 practitioners tested 11 subjects, all made significantly different assessments. Kenny JJ et al. Journal of American Dietetics Association 1988; 88:698-704. • No difference between test substance and placebo. Triano,JJ. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics 1982; 5:179-182.

  8. Hair Analysis • Hair sample sent from nape of neck to measure mineral, vitamin and nutritional status.

  9. Research findings • No evidence that low concentrations of elements detected in hair reflected low body stores. Lasar P. JAMA 1974; 229:1908-1909. • Levels of minerals are affected by gender, hair growth, dyes and geographical location -not a reliable diagnostic technique. Hambridge KM. AJCN 1983;36:943-949.

  10. Vega Testing-developed by Helmut Schimmel Involves an electrical circuit via a hand held electrode and a Vega probe attached to a toe to complete circuit.

  11. Test substances are placed in honeycomb and changes in conductance are recorded on the galvanometer • Low readings indicate need to avoid a given food or substance. • Dietary avoidance/advice is offered based upon these results.

  12. Research findings • DBPC study with HDM, cat and distilled H20 • 15 atopics (SPT pos) vs 15 non atopics (SPT neg) • Each tested with 6 substances by 3 operators on 3 occasions, i.e. 54 items per participant • No correlation between SPT and Vega test • Vega test could not distinguish between atopic and non atopic participants i.e. cannot diagnose allergy to common aeroallergens. Lewith GT et al. BMJ 2001;322:131-134.

  13. York Laboratory testing • Their Hypothesis - Immune reaction in the gut allows incompletely digested food to enter the circulation due to increased permeability and IgG antibodies are formed causing food reactions. • Finger prick blood sample on absorbent wand, sent in post, tested in an ELISA. • No IgG to foods = no food avoidance • Moderate IgG to foods = rotating food group • High IgG to foods = avoid food group

  14. Research • Studies have reported food specific IgG in serum of normal healthy subjects. Husby S et al. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1985:77;416-422 • ELISA - no significant difference between control subjects and food sensitive patients. Lessof M et al. Allergy Proc.1991:12;305-7

  15. York Nutritional Laboratory Audit 2000 • 4,200 surveyed Feb 98 -Aug 99. • Response rate 1,761 (42%), with 68.7%(1217) reporting chronic illness >3yrs. • 50% (880) reported some improvement. • 75% (660) reported benefit lasting >1yr (37% of respondents). • Degree of benefit corresponded with adherence to dietary advice

  16. University of York for BAF/Allergy UK in 2000 • Chronic symptoms fluctuate • Placebo effect • 70% reported improvement in chronic symptoms • Could not prove benefit of IgG ELISA • Need for a randomised control trial • Remains unproven

  17. Approximate cost implications • Kinesiology - £40.00-50.00, plus FU appt and cost of advised food supplements • Hair analysis - approx £30.00 plus food supplements. • Vega testing - approx £50.00 plus FU appt and supplements • York Laboratory - £100.00 - 42 food scan £250.00 - 113 food scan

  18. Australia has suspended the production licence of Pan Pharmaceuticals • Makes 70% of vitamins, minerals and herbal medicines • Also makes OTC painkillers and cold preparations • Systematic and deliberate manipulation of quality control test data

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