Immediate skin reactivity in adult asthmatic patients.
BACKGROUND
A high prevalence of positive skin reaction is commonly seen in children with asthma. Very little information is available on the prevalence of immediate skin test reactivity in adult patients with asthma.


METHODS
We performed allergen skin tests on 260 patients with asthma and 168 patients with red cedar asthma using a battery of 24 allergens. Immediate skin test reactivity was considered to be present if the subject reacted to at least one allergen.


RESULTS
Forty-eight percent of adult asthmatic patients had immediate skin test reactivity. Age, sex, and race were predictors of prevalence of immediate skin test reactivity. The number of allergens used for skin testing also determined the prevalence. More than half the patients who had immediate skin test reactivity reacted to house dust mite allergen.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a high proportion of immediate skin test reactivity in adult patients with asthma and half of them had positive skin reactions to house dust mite. As avoidance of house dust mites has been shown to be effective in patients with asthma, allergy evaluation should be included in the management of adult patients with asthma.
Lin
F J
FJ
Department of Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia, Canada.
Wong
D
D
Chan-Yeung
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012882:Skin Tests
D000485:Allergens