A study of the immediate cutaneous response. Influencing factors

Precision in the calculation of the size of the wheal caused by the cutaneous response is faced with the problem derived from the variability of such response. The possibility of creating dose-response curves and posterior regression line, allow a comparison of these lines by means of an analysis of covariance. With this method we have analysed different factors which may influence this response. With a sample of 138 healthy subjects we have shown that factors such as: age, sex and time the skin test is carried out, have a significant influence on the size of the wheal. In the same way and with a group of 22 patients with allergy to house dust mites, we have shown that factors such as: age, sex, disease (rhinitis-asthma) or time the skin test is carried out, have no influence on the size of the cutaneous response. We have also shown that the average size of the wheal is smaller in healthy subjects than in allergic patients, presenting regression lines with different slope which allow no further comparison.