Specific IgG Diagnostics in Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), also known as extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA), is an immune-mediated interstitial lung disease triggered by inhaled antigens such as molds, bird feathers, and agricultural dusts. Often linked to working conditions, HP is a disease of many faces, from inflammatory self-limiting disease to relapsing or progressive inflammatory disease and chronic fibrotic disease. As there does not exist a single, universal diagnostic criterion, HP is diagnosed by a combination of findings established through clinical history, including imaging, histopathology, pulmonary function testing, bronchoscopy, and serology. With the rise of automated immunoassays capable of quantitatively measuring specific IgG to common HP antigens, an expanded diagnostic can be used to detect the potential triggering antigen.
This webinar delves into the pathophysiology of HP, highlights the diagnostic criteria according to the current guidelines, and emphasizes the utility of specific IgG determination and the importance of cutoff values in HP.
Key learning objectives
- Describe the pathophysiology of hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- Explain the diagnostic criteria used to establish HP
- Discuss the value of serology in HP
Accreditation statement
SelectScience is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program.