What is NIFTY Test?

The term NIFTY Test is a form of abbreviation for Non-invasive Prenatal Genetic Testing – An estimate of risks of chromosome abnormalities in fetus, that cause Down syndrome, using 5 cc of mother’s blood sample. NIFTY test is conducted through DNA levels diagnosis from mother’s blood sample with high-throughput DNA sequencing technology in mother with fetal Down syndrome, where DNA abnormality from chromosome 21 will be detected.

What is Down syndrome?

Down syndrome is inborn genetic disorder approximately found in 1/800 newborn infant, or around 1,000 infants per year in Thailand. The disorder is caused by an abnormality on chromosome 21, where the most discovered case is to have an extra chromosome on chromosome 21, or trisomy 21. An infant with Down syndrome have unique facial characteristic and almost all infants with Down syndrome will also possess mental retardation, with around half of Down syndrome infants having certain physical abnormalities, e.g., heart disease, etc. There is still no way to completely cure Down syndrome as of now. Thus, prenatal screening of fetal Down syndrome can partially help parents to deal with the situation in time.

Advantages of NIFTY Test

1. It is a very high efficiency screening.
2. The screening can detect up to 99% of fetal Down syndrome with trisomy 21, when compared to other current fetal Down syndrome tests, e.g., NT test, combined test, triple test, and quadruple test that can only detect around 60-85% of fetal Down syndrome.
3. Other screening tests bestow 5% of false positive, but NIFTY test delivers less than 0.1% of false positive, which can help reduce mother’s anxiety as well as numbers of mothers with unnecessary amniocentesis.
4. In case the result of NIFTY test turns positive, the risks of fetal chromosomal abnormalities will be more than 99%
5. In case the result of NIFTY test turns negative, the risks of fetal chromosomal abnormalities will be very low (less than 1%).
6. NIFTY test is a risk-free screening test to fetus, because it only takes venipuncture of mother for blood sample.

Food Intolerance

Food Intolerance testing in 221 kinds of foods, using only small amount of blood sample.

Food Intolerance can be categorized into 2 types; Food allergies and Food intolerance, differentiated by symptomatic periods and types of symptoms, where inflammation, asthma, and edema will be observed instantly after foods taken in patients with food allergy. The allergy can also become a severe case, called “Anaphylaxis,”as it affects the entire body. This particular case is the reaction of body to adulterated substances through Immunoglobulin E or IgE.

For food intolerance, it might not occur instantly after food consumption, instead it might take a day for the reaction to start showing. Symptoms of the case include physical abnormality sensation or even long-term health effects. This particular case is the reaction of body to adulterated substances through Immunoglobulin G or IgG.

For the case of instant food allergies, patients are required to avoid consuming certain types of foods even in small amount. However, patients with food intolerance are able to consume certain foods that they are allergic to in small amount, differently, up to each individual.

Why should we do Food Intolerance Testing?

We somehow have no clues on what types of foods we are allergic to. Some of us might only have moderate reactions towards their food allergies, e.g., rash or cough, while some patients witness severe reactions like instant suffocation or even coma. Thus, if we realize the types of foods we are allergic to, we shall conduct our own nutritional planning and avoid consuming certain foods to prevent the risk of allergies.

BRIA conducts food intolerance testing with MicroArray technique

Using only 5 cc of blood sample for further screening with MicroArray technique to indicate the types of foods we are allergic to. The result will appear in digit form, implying the allergenic foods up to 221 types of foods. It is convenient and fast, with suggestions on food consumption from experienced nutritionists.