[Skin prick tests of patients with hay fever carried out in general practices compared with those carried out in a specialist outpatient clinic].
BACKGROUND
The aim of our study was to assess whether general practitioners and their staff (practices) who had attended a short CME course with technical instruction in the skin prick test could diagnose and treat unselected patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis at the same quality level as the allergy outpatient clinic.


METHODS
We performed a multicentre study with the participation of 38 general practices and the Allergy Centre at Odense University Hospital (OUH). After a two-day course for the general practitioner and his practice staff, every practice performed a skin prick test on 10 consecutive adult patients with symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis during the spring and summer. A standardised questionnaire was also filled in and sent to the Allergy Centre, where the patient subsequently had another skin prick test carried out. The results of the tests were determined in duplicate and then compared.


RESULTS
No significant differences in the quality of the skin prick test for 10 allergens or histamine control were found between the general practice and the Allergy Centre. Discordant results were found in 9%, i.e., a positive result either at the practice or the Allergy Centre, but not at both.


CONCLUSIONS
After a training course, general practitioners and their staff are fully able to perform and validate skin prick tests for inhalation allergens.
Grinsted
Per
P
Praksiskonsulentordningen i Fyns Amt, Syddansk Universitet, Forskningsenheden for Almen Praksis i Odense, og Odense Universitetshospital, Allergicentret. pko@fyns-amt.dk
Vach
Kirstin
K
Kragstrup
Jakob
J
Bindslev-Jensen
Carsten
C
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003718:Denmark; D003880:Dermatology / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce