Blood draw · 8 analyses
Follow-up test inhalant allergy: 8 allergens separately
Measures IgE separately against the 8 allergens from the inhalant screen, such as house dust mite, cat, dog and pollen. Shows why a screen was positive.
€ 141,00
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Allergy and intolerance · Blood
IgE antibodies to rye pollen
Antibodies against pollen from rye, a cereal; shows whether the immune system is sensitive to this pollen, not whether it bothers you.
At a glance
- Measured in blood
- In 2 test panels
- No special preparation
Explanation
IgE antibodies to rye pollen: what is measured?
Rye (Secale cereale) is a cereal grown as a crop. It is a grass species, and its pollen is very similar to that of wild grasses. This test measures the amount of IgE antibodies against rye pollen in the blood, in kU/l; it concerns pollen in the air, not rye flour or rye bread. IgE is the type of antibody that, in an allergic reaction, triggers mast cells to release histamine; the body only makes these antibodies after it has previously been in contact with the allergen, and this is called sensitization.
What can it detect?
- Sensitization to rye pollen: the body has made IgE antibodies against rye pollen
- Support in working out suspected hay fever from grass or cereal pollen, together with the history of the symptoms
Result
What does the result mean?
IgE antibodies to rye pollen too high
A value above the cut-off means that you have IgE antibodies against rye pollen: sensitization. That is not the same as an allergy. Because rye pollen is very similar to grass pollen, a positive result in people with symptoms during the grass season usually fits hay fever from grass pollen in general, and rarely rye alone. People who live or work near rye fields may have more symptoms when it flowers. A positive result says nothing about an allergy to food containing rye; that is a different allergy.
IgE antibodies to rye pollen too low
A value below the cut-off means that no IgE antibodies against rye pollen were found. Hay fever from rye pollen is then unlikely; for grass pollen in general, the result for timothy grass says more. Symptoms in another season more likely fit something else: tree pollen mainly causes symptoms in spring, pollen from weeds such as mugwort in late summer, and house dust mite, animals or mold can cause symptoms all year round.
After an abnormal result
The GP mainly looks at the history: in which months and where the symptoms occur. With a positive result and matching symptoms, advice follows to reduce contact with pollen, such as keeping windows closed on dry, sunny days, and if needed medication for the nose and eyes. With a lot of symptoms despite medication, an allergist or ENT specialist can discuss immunotherapy, where the result for single allergens helps determine which pollen it targets.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
A positive IgE result shows sensitization, not allergy: it only says that there are antibodies, not that you get symptoms from them. The Dutch medical specialists' guideline (FMS) on upper airway allergy says this literally and recommends choosing a test for single allergens based on the history of the symptoms; the result therefore only means something if it fits when and where you have symptoms. Rye pollen cross-reacts strongly with grass pollen; a positive result for rye usually adds little in someone who is also positive for timothy grass. A positive result without symptoms is not treated.
What can affect the result?
- Sensitization without symptoms is common; the result can only be interpreted together with the history of the symptoms.
- Rye pollen cross-reacts strongly with grass pollen; the test does not show whether the symptoms come from rye or from other grasses.
- The test concerns pollen in the air and says nothing about an allergy to rye flour or products containing rye.
- Laboratories use different measurement methods and cut-off values; results from different labs cannot be compared one to one.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
Useful as an addition with symptoms of the nose, eyes or airways that come back every year in late spring and summer, for example if you live or work near cereal fields. For grass pollen in general, timothy grass says more. In people without such symptoms, the test adds nothing: sensitization without symptoms is not a disease and is not treated.
How common is it?
Hay fever is common and often starts at a young age. According to the Longfonds (Dutch lung foundation), the grass pollen period from May to August is the period with the most symptoms for many people; rye, as a grass species, flowers in the same part of the year. Sensitization is more common than the allergy itself.
Longfonds and Thuisarts.nl; no Dutch prevalence figure has been checked
Drawbacks and risks
- A positive result can wrongly give the impression that you should avoid rye or rye bread; the test concerns pollen, not food.
- A normal result does not rule out hay fever from other grasses.
Get tested
IgE antibodies to rye pollen: test panels
IgE antibodies to rye pollen is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
More about risks and resultsMore explanations
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