title: Frequency and intensity of responses to mite patch tests are lower in nonatopic subjects with respect to patients with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  So far the issue of patch tests with mite allergens in subjects not affected by atopic dermatitis (AD) has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and intensity of responses to atopy patch tests with Dermatophagoides in non-AD subjects, and to compare them to the ones observed in AD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patch tests were performed, employing a mixture of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and farinae at two different concentrations (20 and 40% pet.), on 75 non-AD subjects, including 33 patients with allergic rhinitis and 42 healthy volunteers, and on 210 AD patients, as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive responses to 20% mite patch tests were observed in 17 non-AD subjects (23%) and in 102 AD ones (49%). The former showed a lower intensity of the responses, with a mean score of 1.4 compared with 2.1 in atopics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although positive responses to mite patch tests are also observable in subjects without AD, their frequency and intensity are significantly lower compared with AD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seidenari
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giusti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellacani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D010328:Patch Tests; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens