Allergy - Milk & Milk Product Panel

Allergy

Report in 72Hrs

At Home

No Fasting Required

Details

IgE antibody panel for cow’s milk, casein, whey, cheese.

₹4,440₹6,343

30% OFF

Allergy - Milk & Milk Product Panel

Why is it done?
- Detects IgE antibodies against milk proteins (casein, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, and lactoferrin) to diagnose IgE-mediated milk allergies
- Identifies allergic reactions to cow's milk and dairy products in patients with suspected milk allergy
- Distinguishes between true milk allergy and lactose intolerance or other milk-related disorders
- Ordered when patients present with symptoms such as hives, angioedema, anaphylaxis, wheezing, or gastrointestinal distress after milk consumption
- Performed in infants and children with feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, or atopic dermatitis suspicious for milk allergy
- Used to guide dietary management and identify safe milk alternatives for allergic individuals
Normal Range
- Unit of Measurement: kUA/L (kilounits of allergen-specific IgE per liter)
- Normal/Negative Result: < 0.35 kUA/L - Indicates no significant IgE-mediated allergic sensitization to milk components
- Borderline/Low Positive: 0.35 - 0.69 kUA/L - Weak sensitization; symptoms may or may not be present; requires clinical correlation
- Moderate Positive: 0.70 - 3.50 kUA/L - Clear sensitization with probable clinical allergy
- High Positive: > 3.50 kUA/L - Strong sensitization; high likelihood of clinical allergic reactions to milk
- Individual Milk Component Results: Each component (casein, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, lactoferrin) is reported separately using the same scale; elevated specific components help predict reaction severity and prognosis
Interpretation
- Negative Results (< 0.35 kUA/L): Unlikely to have IgE-mediated milk allergy; symptoms are probably due to lactose intolerance, milk protein intolerance (non-IgE mediated), or other conditions; further evaluation may still be warranted if clinical suspicion remains high
- Borderline Results (0.35 - 0.69 kUA/L): May represent very mild sensitization or early-stage allergy development; oral tolerance might still be possible; clinical symptoms and patient history are crucial for interpretation; repeat testing may be recommended
- Moderate Positive (0.70 - 3.50 kUA/L): Indicates clinically significant IgE-mediated milk allergy; patient should avoid milk and dairy products; cross-reactivity with other allergens should be considered; risk of systemic reactions exists
- High Positive (> 3.50 kUA/L): Strong evidence of IgE-mediated milk allergy with high risk of significant allergic reactions; strict milk avoidance is essential; patient may be prescribed epinephrine auto-injector; higher likelihood of persistent allergy into adulthood
- Component-Specific Interpretation: Casein positivity may indicate persistent allergy; alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin positivity may suggest resolution with age; lactoferrin positivity is less common but indicates specific sensitization; heat-stable vs. heat-labile components predict tolerance to heated milk products
- Clinical Correlation is Essential: Positive results must correlate with patient symptoms; asymptomatic sensitization (without clinical symptoms) may not require strict avoidance; negative results do not completely exclude IgE-mediated allergy if clinical suspicion is very high
- Factors Affecting Results: Recent consumption of milk allergen may transiently elevate levels; antihistamine use does not affect test results; atopic status and family history of allergies correlate with positive results; age influences both sensitivity and natural resolution patterns
- Cross-Reactivity Patterns: Milk-allergic patients may react to goat and sheep milk; beef sensitivity is rare despite milk allergy; some patients may tolerate heavily processed dairy (yogurt, cheese) due to protein breakdown during fermentation
Associated Organs
- Primary System: Immune system (specifically IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions); involves mast cells and basophils throughout the body
- Skin: Acute urticaria (hives), angioedema, atopic dermatitis exacerbation, pruritus, flushing; chronic atopic dermatitis often associated with milk allergy
- Respiratory System: Allergic rhinitis, asthma exacerbation, wheezing, dyspnea, laryngeal edema; milk allergy may trigger or worsen asthma symptoms
- Gastrointestinal Tract: Oral allergy syndrome (itching/swelling of lips, mouth, throat), nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, enterocolitis (particularly in infants); milk is a common trigger for food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES)
- Cardiovascular System: Anaphylaxis with hypotension, shock, arrhythmias; milk allergy is a common cause of fatal and near-fatal anaphylaxis
- Associated Conditions: Atopic syndrome (eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma), other food allergies (peanut, tree nuts, egg common co-allergens), IgE-mediated food allergy to other proteins
- Potential Complications: Severe anaphylaxis requiring emergency treatment; failure to thrive in infants due to elimination diet; nutritional deficiencies (calcium, vitamin D, protein) if milk avoidance not properly managed; psychological impact from dietary restrictions
- Risk Factors for Severity: Early age of onset, high specific IgE levels, history of anaphylaxis, concurrent asthma, family history of severe allergies
Follow-up Tests
- Skin Prick Testing (SPT): Confirmatory test for IgE-mediated allergy; provides immediate results; useful for comprehensive allergen testing including other potential triggers
- Milk-Specific IgE Component Testing: More detailed analysis of responses to individual milk proteins (casein, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, lactoferrin, immunoglobulin, serum albumin); helps predict tolerance development and severity
- Oral Food Challenge (OFC): Gold standard for diagnosis confirmation; performed under medical supervision; helps determine safe vs. unsafe milk products; useful for assessing tolerance development over time
- Total IgE: Measures overall allergic status; helps determine if multiple allergies are likely; elevated in atopic individuals with food allergies
- Other Food Allergy Panels: Testing for eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, sesame, soy; many patients with milk allergy have co-existent food allergies
- Environmental Allergy Panel: Assess for concurrent environmental allergies (pollen, dust mites, animal dander, mold) that may complicate management
- Baseline Nutritional Assessment: Vitamin D, calcium, B12 levels; essential when starting elimination diet to guide supplementation
- IgG4 Testing: May help differentiate between IgE-mediated allergy and non-IgE mediated intolerance; IgG4 elevation suggests tolerance development
- Monitoring: Repeat testing every 1-2 years in children to assess for natural tolerance development; earlier testing (6-12 months) may be considered in high-risk cases; annual assessment in adults with persistent allergy
Fasting Required?
- Fasting: No
- This is a serum-based allergen-specific IgE test that does not require fasting; food intake does not affect antibody levels in the blood
- Timing Consideration: Samples can be drawn at any time of day; no specific time of day is preferred or required
- Medications: Antihistamines do not need to be discontinued before testing as this is a blood test, not a skin test; continue all regular medications as prescribed
- If Concurrent Skin Prick Testing: Stop antihistamines 3-5 days before skin testing to avoid false negatives; blood tests can be performed simultaneously without issue
- Specimen Collection: Simple venipuncture (blood draw); approximately 2-5 mL of blood collected in a serum separator tube; no special handling required beyond standard blood collection procedures
- Patient Preparation: Inform patient about purpose of test; no special preparation needed; can wear regular clothing without restrictions; no dietary modifications required
- Recent Milk Ingestion: Not a contraindication to testing; recent allergic reaction (within hours) may show transiently elevated results; if possible, wait 1-2 weeks after acute allergic reaction for most accurate baseline values

How our test process works!