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Where to prick the apple for skin testing?
B J Vlieg-Boerstra1, W E van de Weg, S van der Heide
1Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Allergy
|August 6, 2013
Summary
The location of apple prick matters for skin prick tests. Pricking near the apple stalk yields stronger results for oral allergy syndrome testing than pricking the middle.
Area of Science:
- Food allergy research
- Clinical immunology
- Plant biochemistry
Background:
- Mal d 1, a major allergen in apples, is unevenly distributed.
- Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is often triggered by fresh apple consumption.
- Accurate allergy testing is crucial for diagnosing OAS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the prick location on an apple affects prick-to-prick skin prick test (PTP) outcomes.
- To determine the optimal site for apple skin prick testing in patients with suspected apple allergy.
Main Methods:
- Prick-to-prick skin prick tests (PTPs) were conducted on 32 adults with apple-related oral allergy symptoms.
- Tests utilized fresh, unpeeled apples (Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Elise, Santana, Modi) harvested in autumn 2007.
- Apple material was sampled from two distinct locations: near the stalk (top) and the middle region.
Main Results:
- Skin prick test responses were consistently higher when testing apple material from the stalk region compared to the middle.
- Statistical significance in favor of the stalk region was observed for Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, and Elise in 2007.
- In 2008, Pink Lady and Modi also showed statistically significant differences favoring the stalk region.
Conclusions:
- The distribution of Mal d 1 allergen influences PTP results.
- For accurate allergy diagnosis, prick the apple near the stalk, not the middle.
- Standardizing prick location can improve the reliability of apple allergy testing.
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