Swedish expert to tackle in-vitro allergy testing

Dr. Kjell Kristiansen, regional director for Asia of Sweden-based Pharmacia Diagnostics, will lecture on in-vitro allergy testing at the Ledesma Hall of the Makati Medical Center on Feb.11, at 6-8 p.m.

The UniCap System of Pharmacia Diagnostics was earlier installed at the medical center.

In his lecture entitled "In-vitro Testing – A Novel Approach to Detect Allergy," Kristiansen will explain the use of the UniCAP system in conducting allergy tests through in-vitro testing. This is now considered as the gold standard in the diagnosis of allergy in many modern medical centers worldwide.

"Aside from allergologists, primary care doctors like pediatricians and geriatrics experts should realize that allergy detection is also their concern. Due to high prevalence of allergy cases in contemporary period, it is not possible for allergologists to handle all patients," says Kristiansen.

Dr. Benigno Agbayani Sr., one of the pioneers and respected authorities in allergy and immunology in the Philippines, agreed with Kristiansen. In a recent scientific meeting on asthma evaluation, he emphasized that general practitioners and pediatricians are actually the ones very much involved in recognizing and treating early manifestations of allergy.

"General practitioners are on the first line of recognizing and treating various types of allergy. Pediatricians and pediatric dermatologists are also very much involved in the treatment of allergies such as infantile eczema and allergic gastroenteritis," said Agbayani.

The UniCAP 100-E is a machine originally developed by Pharmacia Diagnostics AB with headquarters in Uppsala, Sweden. Pharmacia Diagnostics is considered a world leader in in-vitro diagnostic research and product innovation.

Currently, seven out of 10 European and Japanese laboratories are using the UniCAP system. It is represented in the Philippines by Trianon International.

The UniCAP system is specially designed to complement the commonly used skin-prick system for blood testing technique, especially for infant, elderly with wrinkled skin, and patients with extensive allergy injury or extreme sensitivity to allergens.

The UniCAP system has extremely high sensitivity and specificity, and is calibrated by the World Health Organization (WHO) standard.

Three major types of allergy tests are available through the UniCAP system. The most general is the Total IgE (Immunoglobulin-E) which measures the patient’s level of IgE. If the patient’s level of IgE is high, he is confirmed to have an allergy.

Another test is the Phadiatop, which determines whether the patient’s allergy is caused by inhalant allergens or not. The last type is called the Specific IgEtest, which determines exactly which allergen is causing the patient’s allergic reaction.

The state-of-the-art UniCAP allergy technology featuring the ECP testing, is also available at the Manila Doctor’s Hospital, the Medical City, Asiatic Medical Laboratory, Healthway Medical Clinics (all branches), Asia Pacific Laboratory (all branches), Perpetual Help Medical Center, Advent Specialist Care, Clinica Manila, UERM, the Medic World and soon, at the Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center.

Kristiansen’s lecture is open to medical practitioners and other interested parties. For inquiries, call Trianon International Inc. at 892-0723 to 24 or e-mail at [email protected].