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The use of intradermal tests and relevance of negative controls in patients with negative or equivocal modified rast test scores to inhalant allergens
Author(s) -
Radford Elaine R.,
Berkowitz Ellis C.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-198706000-00004
Subject(s) - intoxicative inhalant , medicine , test (biology) , relevance (law) , dermatology , allergen , immunology , allergy , toxicology , biology , paleontology , political science , law
Patients with suspected inhalant allergy that demonstrate a Modified RAST Test (MRT) Class 0 and 1 (equivocal) may demonstrate positive infradermal (ID) skin whealing to suspect allergens. This whealing may be due, however, to an irritant reaction from glycerin used as a preservative in the extract. The purpose of this study is to establish the incidence of allergy as demonstrated by ID testing in patients with MRT Class 0 or 1 and to reinforce the importance of negative controls during ID testing. Fifty‐five consecutive patients evaluated for allergy with MRT Classes 0 or 1 were studied. Intradermal testing with 1:500 wt/vol concentrations of allergenic extracts and a 2% glycerin control were performed. Thirty‐eight patients (69%) were found to have ID whealing to allergenic extracts greater than the negative glycerin controls. We conclude that ID allergen testing of patients with MRT Class 0 or 1, when using a glycerin control, identifies additional allergens to be considered for immunotherapy.