Tests for specific diseases - Asthma

Asthma allergies

Some people have asthma attacks that are triggered by allergies. Identifying these allergies can help asthma patients avoid them to reduce triggering attacks.

• A radioallergosorbent test (RAST) checks the blood levels of antibodies to common allergens.
• A skin prick test injects small amounts of allergens under the skin to detect a skin reaction to any of the allergens.
• Some patients can have asthma treatments to block these antibodies which helps to control the disease and reduce frequency of attacks.

Eosinophils

• Some patients with asthma have elevated eosinophils (a white cell detected in a full blood count). This may reflect the patients allergic status.
• Certain asthma treatments target eosinophils which can help to control asthma.