Interpretation of subjective symptoms in double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges - interobserver reliability.
BACKGROUND
Subjective symptoms after food challenges are difficult to interpret and no standard is available. We discuss a strategy for how to interpret a diary. Furthermore, the interobserver reliability is evaluated.


METHODS
Diaries for 32 patients with subjective symptoms were used. The diaries were re-evaluated with a predefined strategy by three independent observers.


RESULTS
The proportion of positives was 21.9% among the old diagnoses, according to the new approach 34.4% (observers I and II) and 37.5% (observer III) were positive. The new approach had high interobserver reliability (97 and 100%).


CONCLUSIONS
The proportion of positives depends on how subjective symptoms are interpreted. Interpretations of subjective symptoms in diaries could be made with high interobserver reliability.
Department for Studies of Work, Economics and Health, the University of Trollhättan, Uddevalla, Sweden.
M
M
Gellerstedt
J
J
Magnusson
U
U
Gråjö
S
S
Ahlstedt
U
U
Bengtsson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation