Eczema – what tests to do?

The diagnosis of eczema is made by the doctor based on the patient’s clinical symptoms and medical history. The frequency of relapses, the appearance of skin lesions, information on triggering factors and comorbidities are important for making an accurate diagnosis.

Different types of eczema are closely related to other allergic diseases. In order to precisely determine the sensitizing factors, it is possible to conduct allergy tests, such as e.g. contact skin tests. However, this test is associated with direct contact with a potentially allergenic agent, which may be dangerous for people with severe allergic reactions. Currently, less invasive tests are available, which consist in measuring the concentration of allergen-specific IgE antibodies in the patient’s blood. These immunoglobulins are responsible for the occurrence of disease symptoms – for this reason, their detection allows for the exact determination of what causes an IgE-dependent allergic reaction in the tested person. These tests are carried out in the patient’s venous blood sample and do not pose any health risk. Based on their results, it is possible to successfully avoid the allergen in the future and start desensitization.