Long‐term repeatability of the skin prick test is high when supported by history or allergen‐sensitivity tests: a prospective clinical study

Abstract

Background: Long‐term reproducibility of the skin‐prick test (SPT) has been questioned. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical relevance of SPT changes.Methods: SPT to 10 common inhalation allergens was performed annually from 1999 to 2001 in 25 nonsensitized and 21 sensitized subjects. An SPT was positive when ≥3 mm, and repeatable if either persistently positive or negative. Clinical sensitivity to birch pollen was used as model for inhalation allergy, and was investigated at inclusion and at study termination by challenge tests, intradermal test, titrated SPT and IgE measurements. Birch pollen symptoms were confirmed in diaries.Results: The repeatability of a positive SPT was 67%, increasing significantly to 100% when supported by the history. When not supported by history, the presence of specific IgE was significantly associated with a repeatable SPT. Allergen sensitivity was significantly lower in subjects loosing SPT positivity. The repeatability of a negative test was 95%, decreasing significantly to 87% by the presence of other sensitization. Development of a positive SPT was clinically relevant. Elevation of SPT cut‐off point did not enhance repeatability.Conclusion: SPT changes are clinically relevant. Further studies using other allergens are needed. Long‐term repeatability of SPT is high in the presence of a supportive history.

Remission of allergic rhinitis: An 8-year observational study

“…9 To our knowledge, no study on s-IgE remission has been published. We observed remission of sensitization (s-IgE class <2 at follow-up) in 11% (n = 36) of sensitized subjects (s-IgE class 2 at baseline; Table III).…”

“…7 Remission of sensitization assessed on the basis of skin prick tests in adult and pediatric populations is reported in 1% to 20% of subjects with positive skin test responses. 9 However, there are few published data on remission of AR and of positive levels of serum s-IgE.…”

A Prospective, Clinical Study on Asymptomatic Sensitisation and Development of Allergic Rhinitis: High Negative Predictive Value of Allergological Testing

“…The risk of allergy onset was conferred solely to the latter. It can be speculated that the former represents a state of transient SPT sensitisation [33,34] or a very early condition that over time progresses to increased allergen susceptibility. Could this be represented by the few subjects with insignificant symptoms?…”

Clinical and immunologic effects of sublingual immunotherapy in asthmatic children sensitized to mites: a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study

“…The reduction in symptom scores shows the magnitude of clinical efficacy, and it is decisive to prove a significant difference between the treatment and placebo groups (1). Five other studies demonstrate significant improvements in symptom scores within treatment periods of 12–24 months (8, 10, 12–14). The clinical documentation of the efficacy of SLIT is affected by the duration of the treatment, amount of allergen administrated, and the criteria for patient selection.…”