Diagnosis of Inhalant Allergies: Patient History and Testing

Special considerations—asthma in children

“…Of particular note for children is the use of the medical history obtained from pediatric caregivers, which usually is sufficient to determine the possibility of sensitivity to seasonal allergens. 43 However, history alone is often not an adequate tool to determine sensitivity to perennial indoor allergens. Skin or in vitro testing may be used to determine specific IgE antibodies to potential indoor or outdoor allergens.…”

AAOA allergy primer: history and physical examination

“…If all things are considered, the number and types of potential questions to ask the patient during an allergy history become immensely impractical. Rather than an exhaustive list of questions (or extensive questionnaire), the most common and important aspects of the history should be covered, remembering that not all relevant information is likely to be obtained at the initial visit . The history of the allergic patient is an ongoing process continuing over the course of the patient‐physician relationship, becoming very important if new or recurrent symptoms develop…”

“…The history of present illness contains 3 essential components: symptoms, timing, and location . Well‐known allergy symptoms include sneezing; itchy, red, or watery eyes; clear rhinorrhea; and itchy nose.…”

“…Irritant triggers of nonallergic disorders often manifest symptoms identical to inhalant allergy, and inhalant allergy is frequently an underlying pathology complicating another disorder, such as chronic sinusitis . History and physical examination are important steps in the diagnosis of allergic disease …”

Assessing the severity of allergic reactions: a regulatory dilemma

“…It is well established that many chemicals have the potential to cause allergic sensitization of skin and/or of the respiratory tract (1, 2). Proteins are also common causes of respiratory allergy (3), but the current review will focus exclusively on allergy caused by chemicals. If there is sufficient and appropriate exposure, then such sensitization may translate, respectively, into allergic contact dermatitis, or respiratory allergy and asthma.…”