Skin prick test reactivity to common aeroallergens in asthmatic patients with and without rhinitis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of skin prick test (SPT) reactivity to common aeroallergens among Malaysian asthmatic patients with and without rhinitis.


METHODS
An SPT using eight aeroallergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, cat fur, cockroach, Acacia sp., Bermuda grass, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger) was performed on 206 asthmatic patients.


RESULTS
One hundred and forty patients (68%) were reactive to at least one of the aeroallergens. Among the SPT-positive patients, a positive prick test reaction to the house dust mites, D. pteronyssinus (93.6%), and D. farinae (81.4%) was most common, followed by cat fur (20.0%), cockroach (7.9%), Bermuda grass (7.9%), Acacia sp. (7.9%), A. fumigatus (0.7%) and A. niger (0.7%). A history of rhinitis was elicited in 111 (53.9%) patients and 95 (85.3%) of these patients were SPT-positive compared with only 45 (47.4%) of 95 patients with asthma symptoms alone (P < 0.001). The presence of rhinitis and a young age of onset of asthma were independent factors for positive SPT reaction to at least one of the aeroallergens.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of SPT reactivity to common aeroallergens is high among Malaysian asthmatics, particularly in those with an early age of onset and in those with coexisting rhinitis.
Liam
Chong-Kin
CK
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. liamck@ummc.edu.my
Loo
Kok-Lim
KL
Wong
Catherine Mee-Ming
CM
Lim
Kim-Hatt
KH
Lee
Tong-Chow
TC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests
D000485:Allergens