Peanut IgE Test - More Information

This peanut allergy blood test measures the peanut IgE antibody blood level.

Peanuts are edible seeds that are valued for their flavor and oil content. Peanuts are similar to almonds and walnuts in flavor and are also used to make flour while peanut leaves are used to make hay. Peanut allergies affect almost 1% of the people in the United States and can cause allergy symptoms ranging from mild itchy eyes and stuffy nose to anaphylaxis. In many schools, peanuts have been banned due to the risk of allergy they present to susceptible students.

This peanut IgE test uses the ImmunoCAP® lab methodology. IgE blood test results are reported in kU/L and can be compared against the IgE antibody reference range provided by the lab to determine the IgE allergy class to peanut. This peanut allergy blood test is a component of the more detailed food allergy test panel.

This peanut allergy blood test is less painful and has less side effects than historical allergy testing methods such as the skin prick test (SPT). In the skin prick, or scratch, test, serum containing peanut components are injected into the skin. If you are allergic to peanut, you will, unfortunately, have a mild allergic reaction and all of the symptoms that go with it. Instead, this allergy blood test can check for the peanut allergy without causing an allergic reaction, resulting in a much more comfortable lab testing experience through a simple blood draw. Regardless of reference ranges, however, peanut IgE lab test levels cannot be used in isolation as absolute evidence of the presence or absence of a disease and all results should be evaluated in conjunction with a licensed medical provider.