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== Food intolerance == |
== Food intolerance == |
Revision as of 21:01, 10 March 2009
The antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test (ALCAT) is a procedure created by American Medical Testing Laboratories and now marketed by Cell Science Systems, also known as ALCAT Diagnostic Systems, which they marketed as an in-vitro screening test for adverse reactions to specific foods, food additives, food colourings and other chemicals, between 1984 and 1986. Since this time the original test method has been modified.
There is no scientific evidence that the ALCAT test is useful for diagnosing allergies and relying upon the results of this test may lead to inappropriate advice and treatments.[1][2][3]
Food intolerance
Food intolerance is the reaction to chemical components of the diet are more common than true food allergies. They are caused by various organic chemicals occurring naturally in a wide variety of foods, both of animal and vegetable origin, in addition to food additives, preservatives, colourings and flavourings, such as sulfites or dyes. Both natural and artificial ingredients may cause adverse reactions in sensitive people if consumed in sufficient amount, the degree of sensitivity varying between individuals.[4][5]
Test
As described by the vendor, the ALCAT test is performed using a modified Coulter counter, which counts and sizes white blood cells before and after incubation with specially prepared proprietary gels. These gels represent the different food items that can be tested for. The resultant data is then analyzed by a computer which compares each mixture of gel and reacted blood with an unreacted control (the patient's unreacted blood). A testing machine which the vendor brands as ROBOCAT II, prints a histogram of one superimposed on the other. This data then is converted to a test result, which is said to categorize each item tested and show this in the form of a color coded chart.[6]
Effectiveness
Official position statements assessing the test as unproven and opposing the clinical use of the test have been issued by the Allergy Society of South Africa[7][8] Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy,[9] European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology,[10] and the American Academy of Allergy.[11] Several studies have shown that the ALCAT test lacks clinical efficacy and should not be used to guide therapeutic decisions.[12][13][14]
References
- ^ Wüthrich B (2005). "Unproven techniques in allergy diagnosis" (pdf). J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 15 (2): 86–90. PMID 16047707.
- ^
Beyer K, Teuber SS (2005). "Food allergy diagnostics: scientific and unproven procedures". Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 5 (3): 261–6. ISSN 1528-4050. PMID 15864086.
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Potter PC, Mullineux J, Weinberg EG; et al. (1992). "The ALCAT test--inappropriate in testing for food allergy in clinical practice". S Afr Med J. 81 (7): 384. PMID 1561573.
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ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Lifschitz C (2008). "Is there a consensus in food allergy management?". J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. 47 Suppl 2: S58–9. doi:10.1097/01.mpg.0000338816.82556.40. PMID 18931604.
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ignored (help) - ^ Spergel JM, Brown-Whitehorn TF, Beausoleil JL; et al. (2009). "14 years of eosinophilic esophagitis: clinical features and prognosis". J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. 48 (1): 30–6. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181788282. PMID 19172120.
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ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^
Neetling, WML (1998). "Reproducibility of the antigen leucocyte cellular antibody test (ALCAT)" (pdf). ALCAT.com (corporate site). pp. 1–4. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Potter PC, Mullineux J, Weinberg EG, Haus M, Ireland P, Buys C, Motala C (4 April 1992). "The ALCAT test--inappropriate in testing for food allergy in clinical practice". S Afr Med J. 81 (7): 384. PMID 1561573.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ * S Afr Med J. 98 (3). Allergy Society of South Africa: 167. 2007. PMID 18350212 http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/viewFile/877/823.
Consensus statements released by allergy societies throughout the world as well as the World Allergy Organization do not recommend the use of this test in the evaluation of acute or delayed allergic or intolerance reactions. Significantly, not a single non-allergy clinical society worldwide has supported the use of the ALCAT. These viewpoints have been reiterated in recent international reviews of allergy diagnostic tests. It is significant that there are also no peer-reviewed publications or any reasonable studies to support a diagnostic value for the ALCAT
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suggested) (help) - ^ Mullins Raymond J (on behalf of the Education Committee) (2007), ASCIA Position Statement: Unorthodox Techniques for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergy, Asthma and Immune Disorders, Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy,
These results have been shown to not be reproducible, give different results when duplicate samples are analysed blindly, don't correlate with those from conventional testing, and 'diagnose' food hypersensitivity in subjects with conditions where food allergy is not considered to play a pathogenic role.
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Ortolani C; et al. (1999). "Controversial aspects of adverse reactions to food" (PDF). Allergy. 54 (1): 27–54. PMID 10195356.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - ^
[No author listed] (1981). "American Academy of Allergy: position statements--controversial techniques". J Allergy Clin Immunol. 67 (5): 333–8. PMID 7014691.
{{cite journal}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - ^ * Wüthrich B (2005). "Unproven techniques in allergy diagnosis". J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 15 (2): 86–90. PMID 16047707.
- ^ * Benson TE, Arkins JA (1976). "Cytotoxic testing for food allergy: evaluation of reproducibility and correlation". J Allergy Clin Immunol. 58 (4): 471–6. doi:10.1016/0091-6749(76)90190-1. PMID 787048.
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ignored (help) - ^ * Mullins Raymond J, Heddle Robert J, Smith Pete (2005). "Non-conventional approaches to allergy testing: reconciling patient autonomy with medical practitioners' concerns". The Medical Journal of Australia. 183 (4): 173–4.
This test continues to be used today, despite evidence that results are not reproducible, are different when duplicate samples are analysed blindly, do not correlate with those from conventional testing, and "diagnose" food hypersensitivity in people with conditions in which food allergy is not considered to play a pathogenic role.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Additional reading
- Bindslev-Jensen C, Poulsen LK (1996). "What do we at present know about the ALCAT test and what is lacking?". Monogr Allergy. 32: 228–32. PMID 8813206.
{{cite journal}}
:|format=
requires|url=
(help) - Buczyłko K, Obarzanowski T, Rosiak K, Staśkiewicz G, Fiszer A, Chmielewski S, Kowalczyk J (1995). "Prevalence of food allergy and intolerance in children based on MAST CLA and ALCAT tests". Rocz Akad Med Bialymst. 40 (3): 452–6. PMID 8775289.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Kaats GR, Pullin D, Parker LK (Spring 1996). "The short term efficacy of the ALCAT test of food sensitivities to facilitate changes in body composition and self-reported disease symptoms: a randomized controlled study" (PDF). The Bariatrician: 18–23. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Mylek D (1995), "ALCAT test results in the treatment of respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, arthritis, skin and central nervous system.", Rocz Akad Med Bialymst, 40 (3): 625–9, PMID 8775317
- Myłek D (1995). "ALCAT Test results in the treatment of respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, arthritis, skin and central nervous system". Rocz Akad Med Bialymst. 40 (3): 625–9. PMID 8775317.
- Pasula MJ (1993). "The ALCAT test: in vitro procedure for determining food sensitivities". Folia Med Cracov. 34 (1–4): 153–7. PMID 8175054.
- Roodt L (1997), "ALCAT blood test that claims to identify foods and chemicals to which a person is intolerant", Current Allergy & Clinical Immunology, 10 (2): 48
External links
- "Food Allergy vs. Intolerance". Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- "ALCAT Worldwide Corporate Website". Retrieved 2009-02-13.