The Immunology Department provides a wide-ranging service for the investigation, diagnosis and treatment of conditions which result from dysfunction of the immune system. The integration of laboratory and clinical services allow us to provide a cutting edge laboratory testing service which is essential in the diagnosis and monitoring of complex immune diseases. Clinically, there are two main areas in which we specialise: Allergy and Primary Immunodeficiency.
Allergy results from an immune reaction to a substance which would otherwise be harmless. We offer outpatient clinics for the diagnosis and management of allergies, including desensitisation immunotherapy where appropriate. Anaphylaxis represents the most severe end of the spectrum of allergic disease, and the Resuscitation Council UK guidelines advise that all patients who have suffered an episode of anaphylaxis are referred to a specialist allergy clinic to allow the identification of any triggers, reduce the risk of future episodes and to prepare the patient to manage any future episodes.
The department also offers treatment for patients with non-allergic urticaria and angioedema (for example chronic spontaneous urticaria).
Primary Immunodeficiency (PID) represents a wide spectrum of conditions and severity. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is essential to help avoid end organ damage such as bronchiectasis. There is often a significant delay in diagnosis and a high index of suspicion is required to detect these rare conditions. The European Society of Immunodeficiency has published a useful guide on PID diagnosis to help identify those who may benefit from further investigation.
The Immunology Laboratory at University Hospital of Wales performs over 250,000 tests per year to enable clinicians to diagnose and monitor a wide range of immunological conditions including allergies, immunodeficiencies and autoimmunity. We also offer a comprehensive range of complement tests. Further information is available at the Immunology Laboratory Website.