The value of skin testing in patients with chronic rhinitis

The value of skin prick testing in the management of patients with chronic rhinitis has still to be established. The aim of the study was to determine how accurately atopic status could be predicted from the clinical history of allergy. We carried out a prospective audit of 103 patients undergoing skin tests in three ORL departments over a three-month period. Of 73 patients with a history of allergy or an atopic family history, 44 (60%) had a positive skin test. Twenty-one out of 30 (70%) with no history had a negative skin test. In subjects where a negative atopic history to inhaled allergens is combined with a negative family history, the incidence of negative skin test results was 79%. Skin prick testing is of questionable clinical value in the absence of positive atopic feature in the personal or family history of the patient.