title: Reliability of skin prick tests during terfenadine treatment in adults with pollen rhinitis. A clinical study.
abstract: The variation in skin prick test (SPT) results was evaluated clinically during terfenadine treatment in 39 adult patients with pollen rhinitis. A change in the perceived state of the patient as regards sensitization to a specific pollen allergen or atopic constitution was judged to be clinically important. A randomized, double-blind, crossover design was used, comprising 2 weeks on terfenadine 120 mg once a day and 2 weeks on placebo. SPT for two pollen allergens and histamine (10 mg/ml) were evaluated at the start of the study and at the end of each period. When SPT was used as a discovery test and liberal definitions were applied, predictive values for a positive test were 100%. 1-Sensitivity ranged between 10 and 54% with substantially lower values when a histamine wheal reaction was noted. The inhibitory effect of terfenadine was detectable 2 weeks after withdrawal as a reduction in the median of the mean diameter for the histamine-induced wheal response of 1 mm (0-1.5). The data implied that a positive SPT is reliable when liberal definitions are adopted for sensitization and atopy; a negative SPT is presumably reliable when the measurement artifact is considered and the wheal reaction to histamine is detectable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moelby
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Svendsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012882:Skin Tests; D016593:Terfenadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016593:Terfenadine