title: Avoidance Behavior against Positive Allergens Detected with a Multiple Allergen Simultaneous Test Immunoblot Assay in Patients with Urticaria: Factors Associated with Avoidance Success/Failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Avoidance behavior against positive allergens detected by using multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST)-immunoblot assay in patients with urticaria has been rarely reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to assess the avoidance behavior of patients with urticaria against positive allergens detected with a MAST.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and one urticaria patients who showed positivity to at least one allergen on a MAST completed a questionnaire regarding their test results. The avoidance behavior of the patients was evaluated, and relevant determining factors of avoidance success/failure were statistically assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We detected 144 different data (n=51, food allergens; n=17, pollen allergens; and n=76, aeroallergens) from 101 patients with urticaria. The avoidance failure rates were 33.3% for food allergens, 70.6% for pollen allergens, and 30.3% for aeroallergens. The pollen group showed a significantly higher avoidance failure rate than the food and aeroallergen groups (p<0.05). The patients with higher educational levels or more severe urticaria tended to successfully avoid allergens (p<0.05). The monthly household income level and patients' reliability to the test showed borderline correlations (p=0.057 and p=0.075, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that the results of this study could be helpful in predicting avoidance success or failure against allergens in patients with urticaria when clinicians conduct allergen-specific immunoglobulin E tests.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors: Min Kyung
authors: MK
authors: Lee
authors: PHD Dermatology Clinic, Seoul, Korea.
authors: In Ho
authors: IH
authors: Kwon
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors: Han Su
authors: HS
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors: Heung Yeol
authors: HY
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors: Eun Byul
authors: EB
authors: Cho
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
authors: Youin
authors: Y
authors: Bae
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
authors: Gyeong Hun
authors: GH
authors: Park
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors: Eun Joo
authors: EJ
authors: Park
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors: Kwang Ho
authors: KH
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors: Kwang Joong
authors: KJ
authors: Kim
keywords: Allergens; Immunoglobulin E; Urticaria