Q: Great Smokies versus Meridian Valley Labs

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone-

I wanted to know if anyone had experience working with Meridian Valley Lab for allergy testing. The MD of one of my patients recently told her that Great Smokies got something wrong in the way they do allergy testing (he wasn't specific with her and I haven't been able to get a hold of him yet). He said the results can be very inaccurate and that Meridian Valley is highly reliable and the only lab he uses. Anyone's thoughts or experience?

Hindman, ND, LAc

Portland, OR

family practice

[Guest guest]

I've used Meridian Valley serum IgG/IgE (they combine) food allergy, as well as their inhalant panel for the last year or so, and have no complaints. Recently I also started using US Bioteks fingerstick kits which only test IgG, but only require capillary blood, makinig it really easy to do with kids in teh office, and evidently is just as accurate as any other serum test.

A doc at US B recently told me that it is industry standard to allow for a "1 quadrant" variation on any of these tests, meaning that the same sample may reveal "moderate" and then high or low if re-tested, and that this is considered acceptable deviation.

So... I continue to wonder about these tests, from any company, and know that we'll have to treat the gut regardless, and that for those willing, a strict AI diet may be the best option.

Has anyone done split samples to the same company, or sent multiple to several companies?--this would be a great comparison to make.

, ND

Healing Heart NHC, LLP

Bend, OR

Family and Pediatric

To: unda_cases From: kjhindman@...Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:37:25 -0700Subject: Q: Great Smokies versus Meridian Valley Labs

Hi everyone-

I wanted to know if anyone had experience working with Meridian Valley Lab for allergy testing. The MD of one of my patients recently told her that Great Smokies got something wrong in the way they do allergy testing (he wasn't specific with her and I haven't been able to get a hold of him yet). He said the results can be very inaccurate and that Meridian Valley is highly reliable and the only lab he uses. Anyone's thoughts or experience?

Hindman, ND, LAc

Portland, OR

family practice

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[Guest guest]

Hi - I did do a test of some of the food allergy testing labs. I

have send split samples to US Biotek, Genova, Immunolabs for IgG

analysis and to Diagnostech for IgA (only tests 4 foods), and did 2

vega tests all on the same day. I also tested Alcat labs on a

different occasion. Because of financial constraints, I did not send

samples to Meridian Valley.

I have not finished writing up the results. There may be some

problem in publishing. It appears that there are not very many

publications that want to risk advertising dollars to say that one

lab is better than another.

The fingerstick IgG perfomed well and showed no difference compared

to the serum results from US Biotek. US Biotek and Immunolabs did

very well on the split sample, genova did OK. Labs did not match

each other that great. If you have specific questions about the

split samples, I can try and answer them. Otherwise, hopefully I can

have this written up soon.

Hope you are well -

Hodsdon, ND

Portland, Oregon

www.portlandalternativemedicine.com

>

> I've used Meridian Valley serum IgG/IgE (they combine) food

allergy, as well as their inhalant panel for the last year or so, and

have no complaints. Recently I also started using US Bioteks

fingerstick kits which only test IgG, but only require capillary

blood, makinig it really easy to do with kids in teh office, and

evidently is just as accurate as any other serum test.

> A doc at US B recently told me that it is industry standard to

allow for a " 1 quadrant " variation on any of these tests, meaning

that the same sample may reveal " moderate " and then high or low if re-

tested, and that this is considered acceptable deviation.

> So... I continue to wonder about these tests, from any company, and

know that we'll have to treat the gut regardless, and that for those

willing, a strict AI diet may be the best option.

> Has anyone done split samples to the same company, or sent multiple

to several companies?--this would be a great comparison to make.

>

> , ND

> Healing Heart NHC, LLP

> Bend, OR

> Family and Pediatric

>

>

> To: unda_cases@...: kjhindman@...: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:37:25 -

0700Subject: Q: Great Smokies versus Meridian Valley Labs

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi everyone-

> I wanted to know if anyone had experience working with Meridian

Valley Lab for allergy testing. The MD of one of my patients

recently told her that Great Smokies got something wrong in the way

they do allergy testing (he wasn't specific with her and I haven't

been able to get a hold of him yet). He said the results can be very

inaccurate and that Meridian Valley is highly reliable and the only

lab he uses. Anyone's thoughts or experience?

>

> Hindman, ND, LAc

> Portland, OR

> family practice

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> _________________________________________________________________

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Live Spaces. It's easy!

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