Comparison between serial skin-prick tests and specific serum immunoglobulin E to mite allergens

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Pediatric Allergy
• Diagnostic Methods

Background:

• Allergen sensitization diagnosis relies on skin-prick tests (SPT) or serum specific IgE (sIgE) measurements.
• Concordance between these diagnostic methods requires further investigation, especially with reproducible SPT results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the concordance between SPT and sIgE for common inhalant allergens.
• To evaluate the diagnostic equivalence of SPT and sIgE in school children.

Main Methods:

• Three consecutive SPTs were performed on 138 school children (ages 6-8) over two years.
• Serum specific IgE (sIgE) was measured at the end of the observation period.
• Seven common inhalant allergens were analyzed: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt), Dermatophagoides farinae (Df), birch, hazel, grass pollens, and cat/dog dander.

Main Results:

• High concordance was observed between SPT and sIgE for most allergens, particularly Dpt and Df.
• Significant correlations were found between SPT results (weal diameter, allergen/histamine ratio) and sIgE for Dpt, birch, and grass pollens.
• Children sensitized to Dpt often showed co-sensitization to Df, suggesting redundancy in testing for Df if Dpt is positive.

Conclusions:

• SPT and sIgE are concordant and equivalent diagnostic methods for allergen sensitization when reproducible SPTs are used.
• For house dust allergy, testing for Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) may be redundant if Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt) sensitization is confirmed by SPT and sIgE.
• These findings support the use of either SPT or sIgE as reliable methods for diagnosing dust mite allergy.