IgE Total Test Overview

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is one of the five immunoglobulin classes, distinguished by the presence of the epsilon heavy chain. It is the most recently discovered immunoglobulin, having been discovered in 1966. IgE exists as a monomer and is present in the bloodstream at extremely low concentrations, approximately 300-fold lower than IgG. The physiologic role of IgE is unknown, but it is thought to be involved in parasite defence, specifically helminth defence.

When the immune system responds to a foreign material from food, contact, or inhalation into the lungs, allergies develop. Allergies are the sixth most common chronic ailment in the United States, affecting more than 50 million people. Many people visit their healthcare providers for testing due to allergies as a typical cause. Anaphylactic allergies have the potential to be fatal in rare circumstances. A blood test that measures immunoglobin is one way to help diagnose allergies (IgE). IgE is an antibody that aids the body in its defence against foreign bodies such as bacteria and viruses.  An allergen specific IgE blood test can detect the presence of various IgE antibodies. If they are abnormally high or low, it may indicate that the person has a more serious health problem.

IgE Total Test Overview

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is one of the five immunoglobulin classes, distinguished by the presence of the epsilon heavy chain. It is the most recently discovered immunoglobulin, having been discovered in 1966. IgE exists as a monomer and is present in the bloodstream at extremely low concentrations, approximately 300-fold lower than IgG. The physiologic role of IgE is unknown, but it is thought to be involved in parasite defence, specifically helminth defence.

When the immune system responds to a foreign material from food, contact, or inhalation into the lungs, allergies develop. Allergies are the sixth most common chronic ailment in the United States, affecting more than 50 million people. Many people visit their healthcare providers for testing due to allergies as a typical cause. Anaphylactic allergies have the potential to be fatal in rare circumstances. A blood test that measures immunoglobin is one way to help diagnose allergies (IgE). IgE is an antibody that aids the body in its defence against foreign bodies such as bacteria and viruses.  An allergen specific IgE blood test can detect the presence of various IgE antibodies. If they are abnormally high or low, it may indicate that the person has a more serious health problem.

What is an IgE Total Test?

Total IgE is a blood test that measures the number of antibodies produced by your immune system in response to allergens. IgE (immunoglobulin E) is an allergic reaction-causing antibody. When you are exposed to an allergen—a normally harmless substance that your immune system interprets as dangerous, such as peanuts—your body produces specific IgE antibodies designed to recognize that allergen in the future. When you are re-exposed to the allergen, your immune system produces many allergen specific IgE particles to identify and eliminate the allergen.

The total IgE test detects the presence of IgE antibodies in your blood, indicating an increased risk of allergic reactions. Tests for allergen specific IgE particles are then used to determine which substances are causing your allergic reactions.

Who Needs an IgE Test?

Some allergies may be detected using an allergen specific IgE test, which can include:

• Various kinds of Food
• Pollen/Latex/Mold
• Some medical treatments
• Dandruff from animals
• Dust
• Mites
• Pollen

If you have allergy symptoms, your doctor may recommend allergy testing. These are some examples:

• Runny or stuffy nose 
• Sneezing
• Watery, itchy eyes
• Hives (itchy raised red patches on the skin) (itchy raised red patches on the skin)
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Breathing difficulty
• Coughing
• Wheezing

If skin testing for allergies is not possible, your provider may order an allergy blood test. Skin testing involves the application of allergens to or into your skin:

• Have specific skin conditions.
• Take any medications that may have an impact on the test results.
• Are prone to severe allergic reactions to the allergens used in skin testing.

An allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) test is a blood test that detects the presence of various IgE antibodies in a person's blood. Allergen-specific IgE tests are sometimes used to diagnose and manage food allergies. In some cases, they can also help with an environmental allergy diagnosis.

Preparation and Procedure of an IgE Total Test

There is no need to prepare specifically for the IgE Total Test. You simply need to ensure that you have obtained all the necessary information from your doctor and that you understand the procedure and medications completely. 

• Your doctor or a lab worker will apply a plastic band to your upper arm to fill the vein with blood during the test, causing it to enlarge.
• After using an antiseptic to disinfect the region, a needle will be inserted. He will next take a blood sample and store it in a tube or bottle.
• The plastic band and needle are taken off to stop the bleeding, and the area is then bandaged.
• It often takes a few minutes to complete the process.
• The lab receives the obtained blood and performs an analysis there.

Patients with suspected diseases associated with elevated levels of total immunoglobulin E (IgE), such as allergic disease, primary immunodeficiencies, infections, malignancies, or other inflammatory diseases, are evaluated. Patients with suspected allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and Identification of omalizumab (anti-IgE) therapy candidates are evaluated for diagnostic purposes.

How are the results of IgE Total tests interpreted?

Normal range: Fluorescent standard units are used to report the results of your IgE test (FSU). If the measurement is less than 0.01 FSU, there is no IgE to be found.

Higher range: IgE concentrations that are higher than normal are typically associated with allergic illness. Infections, inflammatory illnesses, primary immunodeficiencies, and malignancies are just a few of the conditions that can cause increases in the quantity of circulating total serum IgE. Except for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, total IgE levels are not very useful in the diagnostic assessment of individuals with suspected allergic diseases (ABPA). Patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis are more likely to get ABPA, which is a hypersensitive reaction to the fungus Aspergillus. The diagnostic criteria for ABPA include an increase in total IgE, albeit the precise diagnostic concentration depends on the patient.

If further laboratory and clinical requirements are met, elevated total IgE values may be compatible with the diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Total IgE values between 30 and 700 kU/L may help identify patients who should get omalizumab therapy and may also help with therapeutic dosage calculations.

Low serum IgE has been linked to:

• Continual tiredness
• Asthma
• An increased risk of autoimmune and cancerous conditions
• Inflamed sinuses or chronic sinusitis
• Otitis media, often known as ear fluid.

IgE Total Result Interpretation:

The results of an IgE Total Test should be carefully interpreted considering how a patient is presenting. High levels of total IgE can be found in malignancies, parasite infections, immune-related illnesses, and allergic diseases. 

• (0.35), absent or undetectable, Grade 0, Unlikely
• Low (0.35–0.69), Grade I, Unsure implication
• Medium (0.70–3.49), Grade II, Possible
• Potentially High (3.50–17.49), Grade III, more likely
• high (17.50–49.99), Grade IV, more probable
• high (50.00–100.00), Grade V, Present
• Exceedingly high (>100), Grade VI, incredibly Present