Testing for IgE antibodies may be useful to establish the diagnosis of an allergic disease and to define the allergens responsible for eliciting signs and symptoms.

Testing also may be useful to identify allergens which may be responsible for allergic disease and/or anaphylactic episode, to confirm sensitization to particular allergens prior to beginning immunotherapy, and to investigate the specificity of allergic reactions to insect venom allergens, drugs, or chemical allergens.