Cunningham Test

[JTs-Mom]

Does anyone know if it matters if my son is on antibiotics at the time of the blood draw for the Cunningham test? Does abx alter the results in any way?

[KaraM]

I remember asking the same question of Kathy Alvarez. My recollection is that antibiotics are fine. I believe steroids may impact the result, though.

 

Kara

[Suzan]

My dd's were on abx for the test. I do think I've heard that it's best if they are in an episode during the draw. My girls were ramping up at the time. dd9 had 143 result. dd7 had 118. I was surprised at dd7's lowish number since she was in worse shape at the time. But she was taking high doses of taurine then and I hear that can lower the result.

 

Susan

[keeptrying]

I too was told by Kathy Alvarez that being on abx will not effect the test results.

[norcalmom]

abx - do't effect it. But steroid or recent steroid will. You need to wait if child has taken steroids recently- I don't know how long.

 

We did my son's NOT in exacerbation, which will lower the score, and since he was in what I considered a good place - I though he would ocme back low, or not in the range. He never had strep or high titers, so I was using it as a diagnostic tool, make sure we were in the right place. cam K - 176. (high pandas range). Same for my nephew - he was diagnosed tourettes and adhd for several years and I convinced them to take test - (not in exacerbation) 186.

 

Ticcers usually have higher cam K IIs (can't remember where I read that). but my son wasn't ticcing at the time of the blood draw.(only in exacerbations)