Blood test could replace risky food challenges for kids with allergies

This study looked at whether a blood test called the Basophil Activation Test (BAT) can accurately diagnose peanut and egg allergies in children. Currently, the best way to diagnose these allergies is a food challenge, where children eat increasing amounts of the allergen under medical supervision, which can cause severe allergic reactions. The BAT measures how a child's immune cells react to the allergen in a lab, making it a safer option. The study involved 140 children and compared BAT results to the standard food challenge to see if the blood test could reliably predict allergies.