The RAST test is an approved test, has no risk of anaphylaxis and is easy to do - just send the patient to the lab. The test is also operator dependent, Warshaw said, so you want to use a lab that performs a lot of these. There have been reports of practitioners who did not dilute the solution sufficiently, and the patient had bad outcomes, she warned. It might be a good idea to refer testing to a specialist, who will have epinephrine and a crash cart ready. The use test works the way it sounds.
Patients wear a piece of latex, such as the fingertip of a glove to test for a reaction.
The amount of latex and the time of exposure are incrementally increased during the test. The use test is sensitive and specific but can also cause anaphylaxis. It is not standardized, and no glove is approved for this use. Corticosteroids and antihistamines can help during an acute phase. Don't use barrier creams when wearing gloves, they can make the symptoms worse, Warshaw said.