title: Analysis of a database to predict the result of allergy testing in vivo in patients with chronic nasal symptoms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article uses the logistic regression model for diagnostic decision making in patients with chronic nasal symptoms. We studied the ability of the logistic regression model, obtained by the evaluation of a database, to detect patients with positive allergy skin-prick test (SPT) and patients with negative SPT. The model developed was validated using the data set obtained from another medical institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis was performed using a database obtained from a questionnaire administered to the patients with nasal symptoms containing personal data, clinical data, and results of allergy testing (SPT). All variables found to be significantly different between patients with positive and negative SPT (p < 0.05) were selected for the logistic regression models and were analyzed with backward stepwise logistic regression, evaluated with area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve. A second set of patients from another institution was used to prove the model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The accuracy of the model in identifying, over the second set, both patients whose SPT will be positive and negative was high. The model detected 96% of patients with nasal symptoms and positive SPT and classified 94% of those with negative SPT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is preliminary to the creation of a software that could help the primary care doctors in a diagnostic decision making process (need of allergy testing) in patients complaining of chronic nasal symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Aziendali e Statistiche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lacagnina
authors.forename: Maria S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Leto-Barone
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Piana
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seidita
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pingitore
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012882:Skin Tests