Immune Profiling
Standard Immunophenotyping Panel.
Shedding some light on overall immune function.
Do you get chronic infections? Have you had recurrent pneumonia? Does it take you longer to recover from the common cold?When the body’s natural defenses don’t work as they should, a person is more susceptible to common infections (viral or bacterial), more serious or unusual infections, or inflammatory conditions that complicate recovery. It is possible that the antibodies which normally fight infection are absent, low, or fail to work properly. A closer look at the immune cells that make antibodies and play an important role in our ability to fight off infections reveals a better understanding of the body’s defenses.Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune-weakening medications. (biologic medications)
Oklahoma’s first and only CLIA certified flow cytometry lab to perform BAT (Basophil Activation Test) to foods.
Basophil and Lymphocyte Immunophenotyping Panel.
BASOPHIL lymphocyte phenotyping, or more commonly referred to as BASOPHIL ACTIVATION TESTING, has proven to be an important clinical tool in diagnosing and managing food allergies and treatment. Sounds intimidating? It’s not! Basophil lymphocyte phenotyping, like the other diagnostic lab evaluations we offer, only requires a blood draw. No difficult procedure, or long appointment (as with oral food challenge) is required!
Food allergens can activate as well as cause histamine release from basophils in patients with food allergies. This can be replicated in a test tube when a patient’s basophils come in contact with the food allergen. Activation as well as histamine release from basophils creates changes in the cells that can be detected by flow cytometry. Basophil immunophenotyping results show a stronger correlation with actual real-world reactions compared to other methods such as skin prick testing or serum allergen-specific IgE levels.
Investigating basophil reaction can help direct the next step(s) in allergy management, such as whether an oral food challenge (OFC) is appropriate or oral immunotherapy (OIT) is an option.
EOE Eosinophilic Esophagitis (difficulty swallowing/food getting stuck in the esophagus due to allergic inflammation).
Progenitor Eosinophil Immunophenotyping Panel.
Immunology/allergy Lab of Oklahoma offers a validated clinical test that can be useful in monitoring eosinophilic esophagitis disease activity, and potentially reduce the need for or frequency of major exposure testing (e.g. endoscopy and tissue biopsy) with downtime.
Immunosenescence
Immunosenescence is a term that refers to the changes in immune function that contribute to the increased susceptibility to disease in elders. Recent research suggests that immunosenescence is not likely the result of primary aging, but rather is due to secondary changes caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, even in healthy elders free of chronic illnesses. Nutrition, exercise, and even medications taken over the life span can influence immune function as we age. Over time, the epithelial barriers of the skin, lungs, and digestive tract break down, making us more susceptible to pathogens. On a cellular level, immune cells such as T cells and B cells behave differently in the aging body. The ability of these cells to respond to the threat of foreign bodies is diminished, increasing the risk of acquiring infections such as influenza and pneumonia.
Immunosenescence not only affects the immune system's ability to protect against disease but also has a suppressant effect on vaccines, making them less effective in older adults.(ie, COVID vaccine) Elders should consult with their physicians and keep their influenza and pneumonia vaccinations up to date. As a way of counteracting the effects of immunosenescence, physicians may recommend proper nutrition, vitamin and nutritional supplements, hormone therapy, or the administration of multiple doses of vaccines to boost their effectiveness.