title: Is there a need for repetition of skin test in childhood allergic diseases? Repetition of skin test and allergic diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin prick tests are widely used to determine sensitivity in allergic diseases. There is limited information about the natural history of skin sensitization tests and factors that affect them. It was aimed to determine the changes in skin test results and the factors affecting the reactivity of skin tests after a period of approximately four years in children with allergic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  SPT of 170 patients among 2485 children with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and/or atopic dermatitis, who underwent SPT between 2005 and 2007, were repeated after an interval of at least 3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 10.7 ± 3.1 (5-18) years and 70% of the patients were male. In total 66 (39.0% of the study population) had a different skin tests result in follow-up. Alterations: loss of sensitivity in 18 (11%) patients, the formation of a new sensitivity in 37 (22%) patients, and 11 (6%) both gained and lost sensitization. The presence of atopy in the family, the presence of allergic rhinitis and IgE elevation significantly predicted the incidence of new sensitization. The presence of sensitization to multiple allergens significantly predicted the incidence of loss of sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is found that there was an alteration of sensitization in 4/10 children at the end of the average 4-year period. The presence of family atopy, the presence of allergic rhinitis and serum total IgE elevation were risk factors for the development of new sensitization. On the other hand sensitization to multiple allergens was risk factors for the loss of sensitization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology Allergy, Dr. Sami Ulus Woman's Health and Children Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogru
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dr. Sami Ulus Woman's Health and Children Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bostanci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dr. Sami Ulus Woman's Health and Children Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dr. Sami Ulus Woman's Health and Children Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tayfur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ginis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dr. Sami Ulus Woman's Health and Children Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Duman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E