Adrian Letz, MD

Biography

Dr. Adrian Letz enjoys the detective work involved in achieving relief from allergy and asthma, as well as the complexity of the immune system. His goal is to work with patients to help them live active lives, free of allergy symptoms, while minimizing medications through allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots). Furthermore, he is dedicated to the proper diagnosis and treatment of food allergy, as well as caring for people with immunodeficiencies to prevent recurrent, serious infections.

Procedures offered include:

• Allergy Skin Testing
• Spirometry (Pulmonary Function Testing)
• Allergy Patch Testing (Contact Allergens)
• Allergy Shots
• Oral Food and Drug Challenges 
• Biologic medications for asthma, urticaria (chronic hives), eczema, nasal polyps, and eosinophilic esophagitis

In his free time, Dr. Letz enjoys playing the French horn and is a member of the Julien Winds, Dubuque’s professional wind band. He is the parish priest of St. Elias the Prophet Greek Orthodox Church in Dubuque.
 

Allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots) has been around for over 100 years and is the best treatment for allergies, actually re-educating the immune system to reduce the allergic response, providing long-term control of allergies, and reducing medication use. Also, when I was an allergy/immunology fellow-in-training, we had one biologic medication, Xolair. We now have several biologic medications in our field which has been a breakthrough to reduce the use of oral steroids. I also manage immunoglobulin replacement therapy for immune-deficient patients so that they can receive their care locally rather than travelling to academic centers.

Drug allergy is another important field. At least 90% of patients who carry a diagnosis of penicillin allergy are not actually allergic to penicillin, and proper testing can allow these patients to receive penicillin and other important antibiotics.

It is also gratifying to see pediatric patients who grow out of certain food allergies and have a successful oral food challenge in the clinic, allowing them to eat these foods again.

Allergies, Asthma, Food Allergy, Hives, and Immune Deficiencies.