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[Allergology: quo vadis?].
1Dermatologische Klinik und Poliklinik, UniversitätsSpital Zürich. wuethric@derm.unizh.ch
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift
|July 22, 1999
Summary
Allergy diagnosis has advanced with immunoglobulin E testing, yet allergic diseases are rising due to lifestyle factors. Unproven alternative therapies are popular, despite evidence supporting conventional treatments like allergen immunotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Immunology and Allergy Diagnosis
- Environmental Health and Disease Trends
Context:
- Rising prevalence of allergic diseases linked to the
- Western lifestyle
- and environmental factors.
- Advancements in allergy diagnosis include immunoglobulin E (IgE) testing and in vitro allergy tests.
- Growing public interest in unproven
- alternative medicine
- for allergies, alongside conventional treatments.
Purpose:
- To highlight the increasing burden of allergic diseases.
- To discuss the challenges in allergy diagnosis and treatment.
- To address the rise of pseudoscientific alternative therapies versus evidence-based medicine.
Summary:
- Allergic diseases are increasing globally, influenced by lifestyle and environmental changes.
- While diagnostic tools have improved, many patients turn to unproven alternative treatments, creating a conflict with conventional allopathic medicine.
- Allergen immunotherapy is the only treatment that can alter the course of allergic disease and prevent asthma development.
Impact:
- Increased healthcare costs due to combined use of allopathic and complementary medicine.
- Need for greater public awareness and prioritization of allergy as a primary environmental disease.
- Potential to reduce the incidence of allergic diseases and their complications through evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies.