The Evaluation of Skin Tests in Respiratory Allergy

Herxheimer, H.; McInroy, P.; Sutton, Ken; Utidjian, H. L.; Utidjian, H M

doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.1954.tb03534.x

Cited by 41 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Studies on allergic populations have reported a range of prevalences of 5S-95%: 95% in a London sample of 300 subjects aged 5-75 years with respiratory allergies (21); 55% in a Baltimore sample of 262 subjects reporting allergies, aged 18-55 years (22).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Skin prick test reactivity to common aeroallergens in relation to total IgE, respiratory symptoms, and smoking in a general population sample of northern Italy

Baldacci

Modena

Carrozzi

et al. 1996

Allergy

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Skin prick test reactivity to common aeroallergens in relation to total IgE, respiratory symptoms, and smoking in a general population sample of northern Italy.Skin prick test (SPT) reactivity to common airborne allergens and its relationships to sex, age, smoking habits, and respiratory symptoms/ diseases were evaluated in a general population sample (12 =2841, 8-75 years of age) living in the Po delta area (northern Italy). Subjects completed a standardized questionnaire and underwent prick tests ( 12 local allergens, a negative and a positive control) and determination of total serum IgE. Atopy was evaluated by measuring the maximal diameter for each allergen, after subtracting that of the negative control. Thirty-one percent of subjects showed a positive skin response at a 3-mm threshold. Pollens, Derinutophugoides pteronyssinus, and D. firrinlrcl caused the highest frequencies of reactions. Young people and those who had never smoked had higher prevalence rates of SPT reactivity. Asthma, asthma symptoms, and rhinitis were significantly associated with SPT reactivity in both sexes (cough only in females) and with the number of positive reactions. IgE values were also significantly associated with SPT reactivity. In conclusion, our findings indicate that almost one-third of the general population of an Italian rural area is skin test positive, emphasizing the importance of assessing atopy in respiratory epidemiologic surveys.A series of respiratory epidemiologic studies in general population samples was carried out over the last years to improve our knowledge of the natural history of airways obstructive disease (AOD) (1, 2). These studies aimed at evaluating the frequency of AOD in different geographic areas and the role of risk factors such as cigarette smoking, occupational exposure to bronchoirritant agents, familial predisposition t o AOD, childhood respiratory illnesses, outdoor and indoor pollution, and atopy ( 3 , 4).In particular, atopy, as assessed by skin test reactivity, is considered a risk factor for asthma and for bronchial hyperresponsiveness, which is regarded as the main functional characteristic of asthma ( 5 , 6).Beside the standard evaluations by respiratory questionnaire and lung function, additional tests to assess the immunologic status of subjects were

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SPT prevalence was significantly different in two sexes in age groups[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34], and 35-44 years and, at borderline level, in age group 65-75 years. In seven age groups, there were 114.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Skin prick test reactivity to common aeroallergens in relation to total IgE, respiratory symptoms, and smoking in a general population sample of northern Italy

Baldacci

Modena

Carrozzi

et al. 1996

Allergy

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“…In populations in the U.S.A., both Rackemann & Simon (1935) and Grow & Herman (1936), using intradermal tests, found that approximately 50% of non-allergic individuals tested had one or more positive skin tests and Herxheimer et al (1954), using the scratch test, reported that 50% of a general population had at least one positive skin test. who have no clinical manifestations of their atopic status.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atopy and bronchial reactivity in Australian and Melanesian populations

Woolcock

Colman

Jones

1978

Clin Experimental Allergy

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In order to compare the prevalence of atopy and bronchial hyperreactivity among Papua New Guinian (P.N.G.) and Australian populations, skin prick tests and methacholine bronchial challenge tests were performed. A civilian and an army population from each country were examined and those with past or present asthma, recent respiratory tract infection and chronic lung disease were excluded. No statistical difference in the prevalence of atopy was found between the four populations. In the P.N.G. population 40 and 49%, and in the Australian population 27 and 39%, were found to be atopic, without symptoms of past or present allergic disease. The house dust mites were the commonest allergens in all populations. In response to methacholine (0-3 mg), only 6% of subjects had falls in 1 sec forced expiratory volume (FEVi) of more than 12% (upper limit of normal range) and only two were in the asthmatic range. There was no correlation between the degree of bronchial hyperreactivity and atopic status; however, the degree of bronchial hyperreactivity was slightly greater in the New Guinea civilian than in the Australian civilian population. In the absence of asthma, atopic status does not appear to cause increased bronchial reactivity, suggesting that some factor other than atopy must be present for the development of bronchial hyperreactivity characteristic of asthma.

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“…Allergen skin-prick testing has been demonstrated to correlate well with specific IgE levels and therefore provides a reliable, non-invasive, measure of atopy [15,16]. It has been reported that prevalence of positive skin-prick tests (SPT) in the general population is as high as 50% [17] but rates as low as 5% have been described, on a selected population without either allergic symptoms or family history of allergy [18]. The nature of the study populations, the number and the strength of the skin-test preparations, and the skin-test method employed, explain this wide variation.…”

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confidence: 99%

An epidemiological study of atopy in children

Astarita

Harris²,

Fusco³

et al. 1988

Clin Experimental Allergy

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Summary A sample of 930 children, between 9 years and 15 years old from six Italian towns, were studied. Their family history of allergy, personal allergy and medical history, current allergy symptoms, exposure to environmental allergens, feeding as infants, and their parents’ occupations were recorded. They were skin‐prick tested (SPT) with a range of common allergens. A subject was defined as atopic if at least one SPT caused a weal greater than 3 mm diameter. The association between the recorded information and atopy was investigated by logistic multiple regression. Atopy was positively associated with: high density housing; medium or high exposure to environmental allergens; a history of rhinitis, asthma or atopic eczema; male gender; and a history of breast‐feeding. It was independent of infectious diseases, vaccinations and operations, social class and family history. Thus, there was no evidence of a genetic factor in atopy, other than sex.

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The Evaluation of Skin Tests in Respiratory Allergy

Cited by 41 publications

References 16 publications

Skin prick test reactivity to common aeroallergens in relation to total IgE, respiratory symptoms, and smoking in a general population sample of northern Italy

Skin prick test reactivity to common aeroallergens in relation to total IgE, respiratory symptoms, and smoking in a general population sample of northern Italy

Atopy and bronchial reactivity in Australian and Melanesian populations

An epidemiological study of atopy in children

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