title: Minimum prick test panel for adult patients with asthma and rhinitis in Ankara, Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Determination of the number and type of allergens needed to be tested in epidemiological studies is important in order to identify most of the sensitized subjects with a cost-effective approach. This study aimed to investigate the minimum skin prick test panel for the identification of at least 95% of the sensitized subjects with symptoms of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis (AR) in Ankara, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Skin prick test results of 7492 patients who were referred to our outpatient clinic with clinical symptoms of asthma and/or AR between 1991 and 2005 were evaluated retrospectively. Seven allergens were tested in all and 13 allergens in 4202 patients. The allergen group needed for detection of 95% of the sensitized subjects was determined for both the 7 and 13 allergen panels. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of Hacettepe University.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The atopy prevalences in the whole study population and in 4202 patients tested with the 13 allergen panel were calculated as 32.2% and 42.6%, respectively. Three allergens (Phleum pratense, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Artemisia vulgaris) within the 7 allergen panel were adequate for the identification of at least 95% of the sensitized subjects. Olea europae was added to the previous three allergens when the 13 allergen panel was applied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three to four allergens are sufficient for identification at least 95% of sensitized subjects with asthma and/or AR in Ankara, Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Chest Diseases , School of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Ankara , Turkey and.
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Comert
authors.forename: A Ugur
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karakaya
authors.forename: A Fuat
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kalyoncu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000485:Allergens / Q000191:economics; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens