Allergy, Asthma, Respiratory Care Medical Center

AARCMC is one of the few offices in the country to use a latex skin test reagent for diagnostic testing. These custom formulations, whose allergen content has been

quantified, are derived from both latex and ammoniated latex gloves. Our reagents are prepared to approximate the strengths of the latex extracts used in a multi-center national latex skin test trial that was performed in 1997 and published in 1998.

Our own research and personal experience, as well as work published by other investigators, has shown that latex skin prick testing is a more sensitive test than the currently available blood tests. Skin testing is particularly useful in situations where the patient has symptoms consistent with latex allergy, but negative blood test results. For more information about our latex skin testing, please review our latex skin test consent form.

For those patients with chronic hand dermatitis, AARCMC offers a special patch test of 25 common latex additives. This unique panel can help to diagnose the cause of certain types of contact dermatitis.

Dr Kim has had a special interest in latex allergy diagnosis and management. Since 1993, Dr. Kim has authored over 35 latex allergy abstracts and publications in peer reviewed journals. (view publications) In particular, he has been involved in clinical research for two FDA-approved blood tests. In addition, AARCMC participated as one of the 12 clinical sites for a multi-center latex skin test study published in 1998.

Dr. Kim is the former Chair of the Latex Allergy Committee for the American College of Allergy and has spoken at many regional and national allergy society meetings. Locally, he has been the Chair of the Latex Allergy Committee at Long Beach Memorial since 1996. Dr. Kim has developed and implemented latex-safe policies for that hospital, as well as several other local hospitals.