Food Allergies - How to Interpret RAST results?!
Question: I have had positive results to a number of foods - rice, corn, wheat, soy, peanut - with a standard RAST blood test. Rice and corn have the highest values - about 3.0, which is in the "moderate" level. My allergist told me to ignore the results. Is he correct?? I suffer from severe abdominal symptoms. Is a moderate positive RAST result enough to cause allergic symptoms?
Answers: I have had positive results to a number of foods - rice, corn, wheat, soy, peanut - with a standard RAST blood test. Rice and corn have the highest values - about 3.0, which is in the "moderate" level. My allergist told me to ignore the results. Is he correct?? I suffer from severe abdominal symptoms. Is a moderate positive RAST result enough to cause allergic symptoms?
Everyone reacts differently. I have seen people with a 5, which is considered high, not have any problems ingesting the allergen. By the same token, I have seen someone with a 2 have severe problems. Generally speaking, doctor's aren't as concerned with lower levels but if the lower levels are combined with clinical evidence of allergy ( stomach pain, hives) they would advice you to avoid those items. A 3 is sort of midline and it really depends on clinical manifestations of your allergy. It seems your doctor may not think that rice and corn are causing your problems.
Good luck