title: Histamine control affects the weal produced by the adjacent diluent control in skin prick tests.
abstract: The effect of histamine chloride control (10 mg/ml) on the weal reaction produced by the adjacent test solution (buffered glycerol-saline diluent control) in skin prick tests was studied among 270 peat workers and 214 lumberjacks. The diluent control was placed on the skin at two test sites: 3-4 cm and 18-19 cm from the site of the histamine control. Prick-test lancets (Dome/Hollister-Stier) were used to prick the skin. Weal areas of 6 mm2 or larger were considered to be positive reactions. In both populations the diluent control caused positive reactions nearly three times more often when the test site was 3-4 cm from the site of the histamine control than when it was 18-19 cm away from the control (P less than 0.001). Similar relationships might be found between histamine control and allergen solutions. This finding should be taken into account in histamine-based standardisation of the results of skin prick tests as well as in biological standardization of allergen solutions.
authors.affiliation: Kuopio Regional Institute of Occupational Health, Finland.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Terho
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Husman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kivekäs
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riihimäki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005990:Glycerol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006632:Histamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D012996:Solutions; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006632:Histamine; D005990:Glycerol