Laboratory Lab results are too important to go anywhere else.

Latex (Allergen Specific IgE)

Hevea braziliensis, Latex (k82a1)

Test Codes

Antrim #31885, EPIC: LAB5659, SOFT: ELAT

Department

Special Testing Allergens

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One Gold-top SST tube.

Twenty individual allergen assays or allergen screens can be performed on one 5 mL Gold-top SST tube. Each allergen assay requires 100 mcL of serum.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then immediately centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F) the centrifuged collection tube within two hours of collection.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Centrifuged collection tube, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Rejection Criteria

Plasma specimens.

Severely lipemic or hemolyzed specimens.

In-Lab Processing

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then immediately centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Room temperature is acceptable for a maximum of two hours.

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Centrifuged SST Tubes and Microtainers^® with Separator Gel
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 2 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Red-top Tubes and Microtainers^® without Separator Gel
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 2 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): Unacceptable
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Serum Specimens (Pour-Overs)
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 2 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 1 month

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days

Laboratory

Royal Oak Special Testing Laboratory

Performed

Monday – Friday.
Results available the next business day.

Reference Range

Allergy Reference Range: Less than 0.35 kU/L. 

Range (kU/L)	Class	Interpretation
Less than or equal to 0.34	0	Negative
0.35-0.69	1	Low
0.70-3.49	2	Medium
3.50-17.49	3	High
17.50-49.99	4	Very High
50.0-100.0	5	Very High
Greater than 100	6	Very High

Test Methodology

Fluorescence Enzyme Immunoassay (FEIA).

Interpretation

The allergen class may not be predictive of clinical disease in some patients. The diagnosis of allergy should be based upon patient history and clinical findings. The diagnosis of allergy should not be based upon laboratory findings alone.

Clinical Utility

A positive test result (class 1 or greater) is indicative of the presence of allergen-specific IgE and suggests an increased likelihood of allergic disease.

Clinical Disease

Individuals in all walks of life can develop latex allergies. Health care workers are at increased risk due to occupational exposure to latex products such as disposable gloves, intravenous tubing, syringes, stethoscopes, catheters, dressings and bandages. In addition, more than 40,000 other products found outside of the hospital environment contain latex.

Latex is composed of lipids, phospholipids and proteins. The protein component of latex is responsible for sensitization in allergic individuals. Direct contact with the latex material itself is not always necessary as the latex proteins are also carried on the glove powder which can be inhaled to cause an allergic reaction.

A common allergic reaction to latex is characterized by contact dermatitis on the exposed surface of the hands or other body surface in contact with the latex. Contact dermatitis is usually the result of repeated exposure to latex with eventual sensitization. However, an immediate allergic reaction can also result from an initial exposure to latex causing symptoms of inflammation of the conjunctiva, rash, rhinitis, asthma, and more seriously anaphylaxis and possibly death. Surgeries involving the abdominal or genitourinary regions have been shown to cause critical anaphylactic reactions due to the usage of latex gloves in close contact with mucosal linings.

Certain populations have a greater risk for developing latex allergies due to the high degree of exposure to latex materials. Patients with multiple invasive hospital procedures, including patients with spina bifida and congenital genitourinary abnormalities are at the highest risk for acquiring latex sensitization. Health care workers are the second highest risk category for acquiring a latex allergy. Individuals with food allergies, such as banana, avocado, chestnut, apricot, kiwi, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, peach, nectarine, plum, cherry, melon, fig, grape, potato, tomato, and celery, also have a higher incidence of latex allergy.

CPT Codes

86003
LOINC: 6158-0

Contacts

Last Updated

2/27/2023