Complete blood count (without leukocyte formula and ESR)

If you have an allergy, you will never confuse its symptoms with something else. You start sneezing, your eyes itchy and watery, your nose is stuffy, your throat is sore... This is how the immune system responds to an external irritant.

Many people believe that if the allergy did not start in childhood, then the disease will bypass you in the future. In fact, allergies can manifest themselves at any age. If this happens, then first you need to find out what is the cause of the body’s allergic reaction? What types of allergy tests are there? How do they differ from each other and which one should you choose?

The World Health Organization cites frightening statistics - the number of allergy sufferers around the world is increasing exponentially. According to WHO and the World Allergy Organization, more than 30% of the world's inhabitants have at one time or another experienced an unusual reaction of the immune system to any irritant - be it pollen, food or chemicals. Currently, allergies are the 4th most common allergy in the world. She was “overtaken” by cardiovascular diseases, injuries and neoplasms.

An allergy is a special reaction of the immune system to substances of natural or artificial origin. It is important to understand that this is not a disease, but another type of immunity with which a person is born. The body of such a person produces other antibodies that are hypersensitive to the irritating factor. A simple example is house dust, to which there should be no allergic reaction. But an allergic person has it for the reason that his immunity is hypersensitive. This reaction can be caused by plant pollen, food, animal hair, library dust, etc. The immune system can perform such “tricks” at the age of 5 or at the age of 60.

How to determine the cause of an allergy?

If you notice allergy symptoms, you should make an appointment with an allergist-immunologist, who will listen carefully, collect anamnesis, analyze your lifestyle and refer you for examinations. This is necessary to know the “enemy” by sight (identify allergens), understand what your body is rebelling against, and choose a treatment method. If you delay going to the doctor and self-medicate, this can lead to complications in the future (bronchial asthma, chronic rhinitis, etc.).

There are 2 examination methods to determine allergies - skin testing (skin tests) and blood tests for allergens. The decision about which method to choose for the patient is made by the doctor.

References

1. Federal clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, 2013. - 16 p.
2. Encyclopedia of clinical laboratory tests / ed. WELL. Titsa. - M.: "Labinform", 1997. - P. 279-281
3. Kumar, V., Abbas, A., Fausto, N. et al. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 2014. - 1464 p.
4. Cabaniss, C. Creatine Kinase. In: Walker HK, Hall WD, Hurst JW, editors. Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. 3rd edition. Boston: Butterworths, 1990.
5. Aujla, R., Patel, R. Creatine Phosphokinase. StatPearls, 2020.

Laboratory blood test

Enzyme immunoassay blood test for allergens. A special allergy panel is used, which is filled with the patient’s blood serum. The blood is tested for the presence of class E immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins are protein molecules produced by cells of the immune system after contact with an allergen. In other words, if a patient is allergic to a specific allergen, then antibodies are produced in the blood. The advantages of allergen testing are that you don’t need a doctor’s referral to donate blood. The disadvantages of allergen testing are that the test is not as quick as, for example, skin tests. The results will be ready the next day.

Do not forget that contact with the “enemy” of your immune system must take place - in this case, the body will remember it. An atypical reaction begins after the second encounter with an allergen, thus triggering immunological memory. Therefore, it is not possible to determine prospectively which substances may cause an allergy using a test.

Detailed description of the study

Creatine kinase (creatine phosphokinase, CK, or CPK) is an enzyme with pronounced biochemical activity that promotes the formation of energy inside the cell in the form of an ATP molecule.

The KK molecule is presented in the form of 2 subunits - “M” and “B” - these subtypes make up 3 possible forms (isomers) of the enzyme:

1. Creatine kinase MM - predominantly localized in skeletal muscles and the muscular layer of the heart (myocardium);
2. Creatine kinase BB - present in brain cells, lungs and other tissues;
3. Creatine kinase MB - mainly found in myocardial cells.

All of the above forms of CK perform a similar biological function in the cells of the tissues presented - they provide them with energy.

Normally, there is a small amount of creatine kinase in the blood (94-96% is the MM fraction). When muscle cells, and to a lesser extent other cells, are damaged or destroyed, the enzyme comes out and enters the bloodstream: this is the main reason for the increase in CK levels in the blood serum. In this case, the cause of damage and/or destruction of cells and tissues can be very different - inflammation, degeneration, trauma, death (necrosis) and even tumor degeneration. Oncological diseases of the brain, lungs and other localizations are usually associated with high levels of the BB fraction of the enzyme.

The level of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) increases in various heart diseases, the main of which is myocardial infarction - a pathology in which the blood supply to the heart is disrupted and cardiomyocytes (muscle cells of the heart) die. The main marker of myocardial necrosis (death) are proteins - troponins. CK-MB can also be examined as an additional marker: the enzyme increases after 2-4 hours and reaches a peak 24 hours after necrosis (sometimes later). A special feature of CC-MB is that by the third day after the onset of a heart attack its value is normalized. Also, creatine kinase MB can increase in other heart diseases: cardiomyopathies and myocarditis of various origins.

Increased concentrations of creatine kinase MM (CK-MM) are associated with skeletal muscle diseases. These include:

1. Muscular dystrophies (mainly Duchenne and Becker);
2. Muscle injuries, including rhabdomyolysis;
3. Rheumatological diseases: dermatomyositis, polymyositis;
4. Secondary myopathies, for example due to hypothyroidism;
5. Excessive physical activity.

Muscular dystrophies - in particular, Duchenne muscular dystrophy - are congenital in nature and, as a rule, occur in boys. At first, the development of these children is no different from the development of healthy peers. But with age, the first symptoms appear:

1. Muscle weakness, manifested in the form of clumsiness and lag in physical (the child stops gaining muscle mass) and mental development;
2. Weakness begins with the muscles of the pelvic girdle and gradually moves to the muscles of the shoulder girdle, then the back muscles are affected;
3. Damage to the heart muscle (myocardium), which manifests itself in the form of heart failure;
4. A certain specific symptom is pseudohypertrophy of the lower leg: the size of the calf muscles increases against the background of muscle weakness;
5. Spasms, cramps, numbness and/or tingling sensations in the extremities.

This analysis should be taken if there are recommendations from the attending physician as part of the laboratory diagnosis of the above diseases of the heart and skeletal muscles.

How to prepare for a blood test for adults and children?

Before going to the laboratory and taking allergy tests, you need to observe some restrictions:

1. Stop taking medications, including histamines, 3-4 days before blood sampling. If a patient has any disease and it is impossible to stop taking medications, the doctor should know about it.
2. For 5 days, limit contact with dogs, cats and other pets.
3. Blood is donated in the morning on an empty stomach. The day before, give up smoking, coffee and intense physical activity.

How to increase the number of neutrophils in the blood

To correct neutropenia, it is necessary to identify its cause. If a decrease in neutrophil levels is caused by taking medications, you should first weigh the possible risks of a decrease in neutrophil levels with the importance of the therapeutic effect of the drugs used. In extreme cases, the drug can be replaced with an analogue that does not affect the level of neutrophils in the blood. The underlying diseases that cause neutropenia are treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and antiviral drugs.

It is recommended to consume the following products:

• any meat dishes (it is important that they are all well thermally processed);
• hard boiled eggs;
• pasteurized milk;
• cheese (except for varieties with mold);
• potato;
• rice;
• pasta;
• fruits and vegetables;
• alcohol only in consultation with a doctor.

Careful heat treatment of meat and eggs is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of bacteria and microbes entering the body, which actively multiply in poorly fried or undercooked protein dishes.

What should the blood values ​​be in an allergen test?

After a blood test for allergens is taken and the results are received, the doctor deciphers it. What types of allergens can a blood test detect? What classes of allergies according to blood tests exist? What should the blood values ​​be in an allergen test?

Immunoglobulin: reference values

Allergy classes

There is a range of norms that are most often called allergy classes. The result of the analysis is evaluated based on them.

Class 0 - <0.35 - no allergy; class 1 – 0.35-0.7 – very small amount of antibodies, asymptomatic allergy (without clinical manifestations); Class 2 – 0.7-3.5 – small amount of antibodies, allergy symptoms may manifest themselves; Class 3 – 3.5-17.5 – pronounced amount of antibodies, there are allergy symptoms; Class 4 – 17.5-50 – high antibody content, at which the absence of allergies is impossible; Class 5 – 50-100 – very high number of antibodies; acute attacks of allergies; Class 6 - >100 - extremely high number of antibodies, acute attacks of allergies.

Types of allergens: what can the analysis reveal? A blood test can detect a wide range of allergens: pollen, food (products and spices), household. This study is convenient in that it is possible to simultaneously study an allergic reaction not only to a specific substance, but also to a complex of potential pathogens. That is, you can check your “relationship” with several allergens at once.

How and why to distinguish a band neutrophil from a segmented one?

It turns out that this is very easy to do with your eyes, but almost impossible to determine using a machine. That is why it is worth doing not just a general blood test, but a general blood test with microscopy, i.e. with manual examination. Let’s imagine a situation: you or your child have had a fever for the fifth day, you did a general blood test with microscopy. According to the results, the level of band neutrophils is overestimated. This means that the disease is not viral, but a bacterial complication. And in this case, the pediatrician or therapist understands that it is time to give antibiotics. If you start taking them earlier - when the disease is viral - antibiotics will not only not help fight the infection, but will also weaken the immune system. This will weaken the body and the risk of bacterial complications will increase several times.

Skin tests

Skin testing (scarification method) is one of the fastest and most accurate ways to determine an allergic reaction. These tests are performed in a doctor's office. An allergist-immunologist uses a special scarifier to apply small incisions to the inside of the patient’s arm. Such scratches are painless and only affect the outer layer of the skin. Next, the doctor applies allergens (they are represented by a special solution) to the area of ​​the incisions. Such tests are simple and accurate. After 15-20 minutes did the skin develop a reaction in the form of redness and irritation? This means that the immune system perceives the protein of a particular substance as a “threat”. The advantages of examination using a skin test - the method will allow you to quickly and reliably identify allergens in the doctor’s office. It is theoretically possible to test up to 40 allergens at a time, but this happens extremely rarely. An experienced allergist collects anamnesis and determines the suspected source of “danger” even before performing a skin test, and the study only confirms the preliminary diagnosis. Disadvantages: 10 days before the test you should not take histamines. The reason is that they can affect the skin test result.

Which is better: skin test or blood test?

The doctor will prescribe a skin test instead of a blood test if the patient has hives or other skin diseases that make it difficult to decipher the result. In most cases, such diagnostics are not performed for children under 5 years of age and over 60 years of age, as well as for pregnant women.

“A blood test is the first stage of diagnosis,” explains Vladimir Nikonorov, an allergist-immunologist at the ELISA Medical Center. – But you must trust the laboratory that conducts the research. This is necessary to be sure of the result. Why is skin testing useful? The reaction to allergens is visible immediately at the appointment. But there are precautions. 10 days before the scarification test, a person must stop taking histamines, but this is not always possible. With a blood test, the limit is 5 days and for many this is the best option. As for children, skin tests are preferable for them, since many are afraid of injections and injections, and fear provokes the release of histamine. This may affect the result of the analysis.

Platelets

What is it: platelets are blood platelets whose main function is to ensure the blood clotting process.

Norm: 180–320 × 109/l.

Article on the topic

Health chart: what a cytochemical analysis will tell you

Worth worrying : with thrombocytopenia (decrease in platelet count below 100 × 109/l), which occurs with:

• autoimmune diseases (autoimmune thrombocytopenia, systemic lupus erythematosus);
• aplastic anemia;
• antiphospholipid syndrome (one of the leading causes of miscarriage);
• acute infectious diseases (viral and bacterial);
• leukemia

Thrombocytosis (increased platelet count above 400 × 109/l) also causes concern among doctors, because it may be a consequence of:

• chronic blood tumor, which is a precursor to thrombosis;
• inflammatory process (exacerbation of rheumatism, osteomyelitis, tuberculosis, abscess);
• amyloidosis (protein metabolism disorder);
• cancer of any location.

Don't worry: if thrombocytosis occurs after surgery or physical fatigue.

Liquid fabric. What is blood and how to prevent its diseases

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Allergy tests: what are they?

Complete blood test - this test will not show what exactly a person is allergic to. However, with allergies, the level of eosinophils increases. General immunoglobulin (Rast-test) is a radioallergosorbent test for the determination of allergens - special antibodies of the IgE class. The main indications for use of the test: atopic (hereditary) bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, suspected helminths. Immunoglobulin E-total represents the total content of IgE immunoglobulins in the blood. To identify specific IgE, additional research is needed on individual or group types of allergens.

An allergy panel is a special allergy panel that is filled with the patient’s blood serum and helps to study the reaction to many allergens at once. For example, in a medical diagnostic test, 6 complexes of 11 allergens are formed.

1. Pollen complex No. 1 - spring-summer.
2. Pollen complex No. 2 - summer-autumn
3. Food. — food panel complex No. 1
4. Food panel complex No. 2
5. Nutritional supplements.
6. Household substances.

All complexes are designed taking into account the characteristics of the local climate and the city of Sochi. This is the best way to determine allergies.

Skin test - the doctor makes small incisions on the skin and then applies a solution (allergens) there. The fastest and most accurate way to determine the cause of an allergic reaction is in the doctor's office.

What are basophils, functions

In the KLA, the indicator is present in the leukogram. Basophils are blood cells from the group of granulocytes. Produced by the bone marrow, they are a type of white blood cell. Viability is maintained from seven to twelve days.

Establishing the level of basophils helps to identify pathological inflammation or the presence of allergic reactions. The resulting focus of inflammation attracts basophils as part of other leukocytes. They are then transformed into heparinocytes, which are involved in the production of histamine, as well as serotonin and heparin. Histamine is designed to combat hypersensitivity, and heparin reduces the ability of blood to clot. Serotonin expands the vascular lumen and increases the ability of the vascular membranes to absorb and release substances.

The cells contain prostaglandins, the purpose of which is to prevent the action of the irritant and neutralize it. At this time, a person feels hyperthermia, becomes weak, and has a fever.

The main purpose of basophils is to take part in immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions. The cells are the first to reach the source of inflammation and signal the presence of foreign agents. If the inflammation process lasts longer than three days, more and more basophils are produced in the body.

Main functions:

• trigger the blood clotting reaction;
• participate in the creation of new blood vessels;
• participate in triggering allergic reactions;
• help increase capillary permeability;
• protect the body from infections and parasitic infestations.

A normal indicator is the presence of no more than 1% basophils in the blood. A reduced amount (basopenia) and an increased amount (basophilia) are grounds to suspect an inflammatory process or blood pathology.

Where can I get tested for allergens?

Where to take allergy tests and blood tests for allergies in Sochi? If you cannot determine the cause of the allergy, we recommend making an appointment with a doctor and getting tested. At the medical diagnostic center, you can take a general blood test, a blood test for immunoglobulin, and undergo examinations using allergy tests or an allergy panel. The laboratory has developed special allergy complexes, which include 11 allergens characteristic of Sochi, the cost of the complex is 1500 RUR. Test results will be ready the next day. It is also possible to conduct allergy tests - the body’s reaction will follow within 15-20 minutes.

Do not forget that the first step to treating allergies begins with examination and search for the causative agent of the body’s atypical reaction. Only after this is it possible to prescribe treatment that will help reduce allergic manifestations to a minimum.

Consequences of deviation of neutrophils from the norm

A change in the level of neutrophils in the blood is a signal from the body about the presence of inflammatory diseases, injuries or poisoning. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately determine the cause of the increase or decrease in neutrophils in order to begin treatment in time or eliminate the provoking factor. If this is not done on time, the consequences can be severe (even death). The greatest danger among possible causes is infectious diseases of a bacterial nature, as well as processes of local suppuration and necrotization (death) of tissue.