Between 3 and 5 percent of medical hospital admissions are due to adverse drug effects. Reactions include anaphylaxis, serum sickness, and asthma. Major culprits of drug allergens are antibiotics and insulin.

To eliminate risks associated with unknown medication allergens, the Center for Allergy, Asthma, and Immune Disorders performs drug challenges of suspect allergic medications to determine any adverse reaction a person may have to a prescribed medication. Desensitization to the offending drug is offered to those whose health depends on the medication to which they are allergic.

Asthma Care

Since a majority of asthmatics also suffer from allergies, these patients will undergo allergy testing. Persons with asthma and/or vocal cord dysfunction may also be examined for exercise-induced asthma, using the center's on-site exercise equipment. A pulmonary function test to measure the response to medications and/or the breathing capacity of the lungs and airways may also be performed. Additional inhalation challenge tests are available to assess specific agents that may provoke asthma in the workplace.

Persons with diagnosed asthma will be treated according to the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma developed by the National Asthma Education Program of the National Institutes of Health. This includes medication therapy to prevent and reverse airway inflammation, environmental control measures to avoid and eliminate asthma flare-ups, and a comprehensive patient education program to help you manage the disease and reduce adverse effects from asthma medications.

Sinus Care

Sinusitis can be caused by colds, allergy, irritation, or nasal polyps. Testing may include a skin test to determine relevant allergens. Nasal mucus analysis is used to differentiate infection from allergies. Your doctor may also request a sinus X-ray or CT scan to observe if there are any blockages or polyps. Laboratory evaluations will be performed to determine or rule out if an immune deficiency is causing your chronic sinusitis. Treatment depends on your individual condition and may include a regimen of antibiotics, physical drainage, immunotherapy, and surgery to treat structural problems.

Immune Disorders Care

Persons with immune disorders are predisposed to unusual and prolonged infectious and chronic diseases. The Center for Allergy, Asthma, and Immune Disorders is one of the few facilities in New Jersey to have both a Virology and Special Diagnostic Immunology laboratory. The laboratories use state-of-the-art technology to test for abnormalities in the immune system. One in 500 people lack protective response and mucous membrane antibodies and are prone to recurrent sinus, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal infections. Other persons may not be producing appropriate numbers of antibodies or are producing antibodies that do not function properly. Without treatment, these individuals may experience different types of infections. A critical step in the treatment of immune deficiencies is uncovering its existence.

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