Abstract | BACKGROUND: Skin tests are considered the gold standard for detecting allergen-specific immunoglobulin E ( IgE) in the clinical setting and are an important tool for diagnosing and managing allergic asthma. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of skin testing in patients > or = 12 years enrolled in The Epidemiology and Natural History of Asthma: Outcomes and Treatment Regimens (TENOR) study. METHODS: Patients were asked whether they had ever been skin tested and, if so, they were asked to provide the test results. Clinical characteristics were used to compare positive (ST+), negative (ST-), and skin test not done (STND) patients. RESULTS: Of 2,985 patients eligible, 85.8% recalled being skin tested. Of those tested, 93.5% were positive (allergist 95.7%, pulmonologist 87.3%). A high proportion of Whites (93.5%) and non-Whites (94.0%) were ST+; however, more non-Whites had never been skin tested (21.7% vs. 12.3%, respectively; p < 0.0001). Total serum IgE was 104.6 IU/mL for ST+ patients, 87.1 IU/mL for STND patients, and 32.4 IU/mL for ST- patients. Age at asthma onset, duration of asthma, and the prevalence of atopic disorders and asthma triggers differentiated the ST+ from the ST- group. Disease severity appeared similar between the two groups. In general, values for STND patients were closer to the ST+ group, suggesting that those not tested would have been ST+ if administered a test. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ST+ patients was high in allergy and pulmonology practices, and in White and non-White patients. These data support the utility of a more complete allergic evaluation in severe asthmatics. Skin testing appears associated with disease pathophysiologies in asthma.
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Authors | Tmirah Haselkorn, Larry Borish, Dave P Miller, Scott T Weiss, Dennis A Wong |
Journal | The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma
(J Asthma)
Vol. 43
Issue 10
Pg. 745-52
(Dec 2006)
ISSN: 0277-0903 [Print] England |
PMID | 17169826
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Allergens
- Immunoglobulin E
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Topics |
- Adult
- Age of Onset
- Aged
- Allergens
(immunology)
- Allergy and Immunology
(statistics & numerical data)
- Asthma
(diagnosis, immunology, physiopathology, therapy)
- Female
- Humans
- Hypersensitivity
(complications, epidemiology)
- Immunoglobulin E
(blood)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prevalence
- Pulmonary Medicine
(statistics & numerical data)
- Severity of Illness Index
- Skin Tests
(statistics & numerical data)
- White People
(statistics & numerical data)
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