title: Correlation of routine examinations for the diagnosis of house dust mite allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the correlation between the routine diagnostic tests for house dust mite (HDM) sensitization in Chinese allergic rhinitis (AR) patients, including the skin prick test (SPT), serum HDM-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and nasal smear eosinophilia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ImmunoCAP assay was employed to detect serum total IgE and sIgE. The SPT and nasal smear eosinophil counts were performed using standard procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 82 subjects with HDM-related symptoms and positive SPT results, 55 individuals showed an sIgE level equal to or greater than CAP class 1 for both Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) and D. farinae (Der f), and 62 individuals demonstrated positive eosinophils in nasal smears. sIgE of Der p and Der f presented a linear correlation, and the level of serum HDM-sIgE was also positively correlated with total IgE. An increasing sIgE level was correlated with higher SPT grades in both Der p and Der f. Meanwhile, the correlation coefficient exhibited an increase in value with aging, and the 31- to 40-year age group demonstrated the highest value for both Der p and Der f.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive correlation between SPT and sIgE reaction to HDM varied according to the age of patients with AR.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Ministry of Education of China), Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chengyao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Demin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Luo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D040002:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D007073:Immunoglobulin E