title: Skin prick tests and allergy diagnosis.
abstract: Skin testing remains an essential diagnostic tool in modern allergy practice. A significant variability has been reported regarding technical procedures, interpretation of results and documentation. This review has the aim of consolidating methodological recommendations through a critical analysis on past and recent data. This will allow a better understanding on skin prick test (SPT) history; technique; (contra-) indications; interpretation of results; diagnostic pitfalls; adverse reactions; and variability factors.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Imunoalergologia, Hospital Dona Estefânia, Lisbon, Portugal. jdiasantunes@hotmail.com
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borrego
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romeira
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D000075202:Contraindications; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D010323:Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data